Falling Up
by Japhith
Summary: When you fall down, you skin your knee, and it hurts. When you fall up you never hit the ground. Sometimes though, coming back down is harder than the fall, and putting reality back together can be harder than anything you've ever done before.
1. Falling Up

Falling Up

A Teen Titans FanFiction by Jake McDonald

Opening Notes: _Another_ side story taking time away from Cantata, I know. Understand though, that I'm writing some really heavy stuff for chapter nine in that story, so I needed a break for some slightly harmful fluff, Japhith style. No excessive gore in this one, and not too much cursing, but there is some sexual content. I just don't feel right giving it a lower rating than my other stuff.

This one is a delightful little romp. It'll be a few more chapters, that I'll write later, but this one I just wanted to post tonight. Nervous Raven was fun to write, and the little bits with her stream of consciousness in the narrative make this a unique little piece. Have fun with it. I did. :)

Standard Disclaimers Apply: I don't own Teen Titans, and I don't own Batman, and I don't own the Gamestation 2 (Beast Boy does though) and I don't own a lot of things, but I do own my own car. That's something, anyway.

* * *

_**Chapter One: Falling Up**_

* * *

Part One: Raven and Robin****

It wasn't so much what he had said, but how he had said it.

"Hey Raven, you wanna' go see a movie or something?"

They had been sitting in the living room of the Tower, channel surfing in his case, and reading a book in the corner in her case, while the rest of the team were all absent. Beast Boy was holed up in his room with his new video game system, and Cyborg was doing system maintenance on all of his hardware. Starfire was observing Tra'lgrat, the Tameranian Day of the Dead, celebrated by sitting in quiet contemplation and thinking on the sacrifices of those that had gone before her in her noble warrior race.

So it was that they were alone, the only one's in the Tower with nothing to do. Crime had been slow in Jump City, without even a peep from any super villains lately, leaving the Titans with more free time than usual. On this particular hot summer day, they had so little to do, that they were bored silly.

At least the two of them that were doing nothing were bored silly.

Robin had been flipping channels for a half hour, and she had re-read the same page of her book seven times because her mind kept wandering away from it. Then he had just up and shut the television off and turned to her. His voice hadn't sounded bored, even though she knew he was looking for any kind of entertainment. He had sounded... interested. Like he actually _wanted_ to take her out.

Take _her_ out?

No, he just wanted to go see a movie with a friend. It wasn't like it was a date. They had been living together for almost three years and he'd never shown any interest in her at all, save the time when she'd been in his mind and formed a connection with him. Or the time he had saved her when Slade had come back from the dead and marked her with the symbols. Or all the times after then that he had reassured her that they were going to be okay...

So maybe there was a little something there, but it wasn't enough to base a relationship on. They worked together, they shared a living room and a kitchen, and that was it. Sure they were friends, but dating inside the team could only lead to bad endings. They were only seventeen after all, and wouldn't find true love this early in life. When they broke up, it was sure to be nasty, and that would drive the Titans apart. No, they couldn't have a relationship, it would be-

"Raven?"

She jerked her head up, finally looking away from her book and at him. Blinking, she realized she'd been over analyzing a simple question from a friend. "What?" she asked as if she hadn't heard him.

"Must be a good book, huh?" he smiled that lopsided grin of his and arched an eyebrow.

She sighed and snapped the tome shut, "Actually no. It's a pretty boring read." she set it aside on the low table she levitated next to and put her feet back on the ground, "What was it you wanted?"

"I was just wondering if you wanted to go see a movie or something. There's nothing on the tube, we just ate an hour ago, and I've already gone over every open ended case we have on file." he shrugged, "I'm bored, you're bored... you wanna' go out?"

There it was again. That tone, and that look. He looked interested. What did that mean? She decided to test the waters, just in case.

"You want to take me out?" she arched her own eyebrow, cool as ever.

He shrugged again, "If that's what you want to call it, sure. I'll even pay for your ticket and popcorn."

Of course he was cool as ice. No nerves at all. He was Robin the Boy Wonder after all, trained by the best in the world, no super powers to his name, and he still out did all of them most of the time. They would all hate him for it if it wasn't for his expert ability to be good at everything he did and not make a single person jealous or crazy with envy. He was good, and brave, and kind, and noble. Everything a team like theirs could ask for in a leader, and everything a girl could ask for in a boyfriend.

So why was she hesitating? Okay, one more test.

"Sure." she nodded, "It's a date then." and she smiled.

She never smiled. Not often anyway. His reaction would help her gage his interest and-

"Alright." he smiled back and nodded, "You want to go in uniform, or do you think we should change?"

Damn. He was still playing it cool. She'd have to take it up a notch, "Let's change. I don't feel like wearing a dark cloak out in this heat."

He chuckled, "Try wearing an aluminum/fiberglass weave body suit."

"No thank you." she replied as they walked for the elevator and the residence level, "I prefer something that breaths."

"Like spandex?" he asked with a poke of her shoulder, indicating her leotard.

She ducked her head a little to hide her sudden blush and growled at him.

He just laughed as they stepped onto the elevator.

* * *

Ten minutes later, Raven stood in her room wondering exactly how things had gotten to be like they were.

She had started digging through her civilian cloths to find something to wear, and had picked out several different outfits. She had started trying them on, only to realize that they would look a little different in the bright California sun then they would in her dim room, so she had opened the heavy drape that kept the sunlight out and moved her mirror over closer to the windows.

Now she was staring at herself in the mirror, confused as to why she even owned the cloths she was wearing. The black t-shirt hadn't gone with any of the sandals she owned (and she wasn't wearing closed toe shoes on such a hot day), so she had switched to a sky blue baby-t to go with the light blue flip flops she owned. The shirt was tighter than the t-shirt had been, and it definitely accented her curves more, but it wasn't as if her normal uniform was any less tight than this shirt was.

She had switched from a ankle length skirt (also black, didn't match the shirt or shoes) to the only thing she could find that really made the ensemble stand out; cut off denim shorts. They rode a little high for her taste, but then, she wore a leotard most of the time, so it wasn't anything Robin hadn't seen before.

Leaving her hair as it was, she looked at herself and frowned. Holding out a hand, she levitated some make-up over to herself, and left it floating in the air around her head. Carefully applying light hints and shades around her face in blues and violets, she stepped back and looked again. The make-up accented her natural features without making her look like a clown. She grabbed the last tube from next to her ear and put on a light color lipstick to make her mouth look less obvious. Nodding in satisfaction, she followed the make-up as she returned it to her vanity.

Picking up a necklace, she put it on. It was an amethyst set in white gold, surrounded by blood red garnets. Small, but tasteful, and it matched her eyes perfectly. Frowning, she realized that she was standing in a brightly lit room, wearing clothes she would normally abhor, jewelry, and make-up. To top all of it off, she was primping in her vanity mirror.

But what the hell. It's not like it was going to become a habit or anything.

Nodding at herself in the mirror above her vanity, she started for the door. She looked sexy, confident, and ready to hit the town.

Stopping several steps from the door, she turned and levitated the make-up she had used into a small brown leather purse that was sitting on her bed and then levitated that into her hand. Reaching out with her powers once more, she pulled her ID, and a small wallet to her out stretched hand, and deposited those in her purse as well.

Turning back to the door, she took a deep breath and let it out. She wasn't going out there to impress Robin.

She wasn't!

She was just going to a movie with a friend, and she wanted to know what his feelings for her were. She wanted to make sure he wasn't going to try and start something because she couldn't return those feelings. That would be bad for the team, and with the nature of her powers, she couldn't let her emotions get out of control like that, and-

There was a knock at her door, "Raven?" she heard Robin's voice call, muffled by the steel door, "You just about ready in there?"

"Yes." she called back and fought down the nervousness she was suddenly feeling. They were just going to see a movie for crying out loud.

So why did she suddenly feel like teleporting to Starfire's room and asking if she looked okay?

"I'll be out in just a minute, Robin!" she said and walked quickly to the wall, creating a black void to walk through. Stepping out of the other side of her portal, she found herself in the pinkness that was Star's room.

Starfire herself floated in the middle of the room, her eyes shut and her legs in the lotus position, just as Raven had taught her. The dark haired girl smiled at the meditating alien and took a step forward, "Um... Kori?"

First one of Star's eyes opened, then the other popped open as well and she gaped at her friend, "Raven!" Star flew forward and circled her slowly, taking in every detail, "You look... warm!"

"You mean hot?" Raven blushed.

"Yes! I am sorry to have once again mutilated your Earth slang." Star bowed slightly in mid-air, "But you look very nice!"

"Yeah... you think so? I mean..." Raven trailed off and blushed again, "I mean... you think I look okay and everything?"

"Of course, friend Raven!" Star smiled and nodded, "You have always been quite attractive. I am glad to see you wearing such brighter colors!"

"Yeah... just... going out and I thought... you know." Raven stepped back towards the still open black portal, "I'll just let you get back to meditating then, and I'll see you later."

"Where are you going?" Star asked as she flew back to the middle of the room and took up the lotus position again.

"Um..." Raven knew Star had a crush on Robin. She also knew that you weren't supposed to date your friend's crushes. But this wasn't a date.

So why was she so nervous all of a sudden?

"RobinandIaregoingouttoseeamovieandit'snotadatesodon'tfreakoutokay?" Raven paused for a moment while Star looked confused, "Bye!" she waved and ducked back through the portal.

* * *

The door to Raven's room swooshed open and she stepped out quickly, letting it close behind her. She was just shutting her purse as she walked further into the hall way, and wasn't looking up. When she did, she saw Robin and stopped.

He was wearing cargo pocketed khaki shorts, and a plain looking dark blue t-shirt. A hemp necklace hung about his neck, and he had leather sandals on his feet. His mask was still in place, and his hair was still spiky, but that was all that remained of the young hero.

Oh, and he was gaping at her.

"What?" she asked, bending one leg at the knee and trying to hide behind herself, "Should I change?"

"No!" he almost shouted, then seemed to find his cool again, "No, you look... good." he swallowed hard, and held out his hand, "You look really good, Raven."

She blushed a little, and stepped forward, taking his hand, "Thanks. You don't look half bad yourself."

"Just some old stuff I threw on..."

"Yeah, ditto."

They stood like that for a few moments, smiling at each other, holding hands, standing only a foot apart.

They Raven realized what they were doing and she stepped away and dropped his hand, "So um... what movie are we going to go see?"

"I thought we might catch the latest Mungo Van Blam flick."

"Ah yes." Raven chuckled, "_Monkey Fury Fist Part Seven._"

"Looks good doesn't it?" Robin grinned.

"It looks about as good as the last six were." Raven rolled her eyes as they started for the elevator that would take them down to the garage, "How about we see something less like what we do at work. How about something like... _Caustic London Romance_."

"A chick flick?" Robin sounded exasperated, "Come on, Rae!"

"It's not a chick flick, Robin, it's a romantic comedy. You like comedy. And besides, _you're_ taking _me_ out. The girl gets to pick the movie."

"Since when?"

"You haven't been out on many dates have you?" Raven arched an eyebrow at him.

"Whereas you date around _so_ much." Robin grinned at her as they stepped on the elevator and he punched the button for the garage.

Raven glared at him, "I'll have you know that I've been out with a couple different guys I met down at the coffee shop."

"Oh..." Robin smiled even wider and leaned against the wall of the lift, "Should I be jealous?"

"Shut up, Robin." Raven fumed, "They were both very nice guys, and they treated me well. They let me pick the movie, and where we went for dinner."

"Oh, so now I'm buying you dinner too?" Robin waggled his eyebrows, "You know what they say about when the guy pays for dinner and the movie?"

Raven leaned forward, grabbed a handful of his shirt and pulled him closer so that they were practically nose to nose, "We'll see if you get any desert at the end of the night, Boy Wonder."

There was a beep as the elevator reached the garage level and the doors opened. Raven walked out, putting one foot directly in front of the other so that her hips would sway, and glanced over her shoulder at a thoroughly ruffled Robin. She smiled a little smile, "You coming?" She stepped up to his motorcycle and picked up a helmet, "Hmm?"

* * *

Fifteen minutes later they came to a stop in a parking spot of the Jump City Cinema. Raven pulled off her helmet and jumped off the bike, laughing the whole time, "That was great!" she said as she tried to stand on wobbly legs, "That was... fast!"

"Glad you liked it." Robin pulled off his own helmet and set it on the bike with hers. Clamps shot out and held both helmets in place so they couldn't be stolen, "So how about this movie, huh?"

"Sure!" Raven laughed again, "Let's-" they both jumped a little as the window of a car next to them exploded. Raven stopped and stared at it, while Robin started looking around for gunmen.

"Don't bother looking Robin..." Raven took a deep breath and calmed herself down. Continuing in a much calmer voice, she said, "It was me."

"You made the window of that car explode?" Robin pointed at it, "But you weren't mad!"

"Mad, happy, depressed, frightened," she shook her head, "it doesn't matter. Extreme emotions make my powers go wild. The bike ride was great, but I should be exercising more control."

"Well... okay..." Robin nodded and stepped over to her, "Let's go get tickets, huh?"

Raven nodded, sure she had ruined the date. Outing. It wasn't a date, it was an outing.

As they walked over to the theater, Robin poked her shoulder, "You were really that happy?"

Raven blushed, suddenly feeling that maybe the date wasn't ruined yet. Outing. The outing wasn't ruined yet, "Don't let it go to your head."

* * *

"That was price gouging." Robin shook his head as they walked slowly down the hall of to their theater.

"You get all your cash from one of the richest men in the world, Robin." Raven looked at him like he was crazy, "What do you care about how much it costs?"

Robin lowered his voice and leaned down to talk in her ear so no one would hear him, "Bruce gives me enough to get by on, not enough to blow it all on overpriced popcorn."

Raven pushed him away, even though she was honestly enjoying the feeling of his breath on her ear, "It barely made a dent in that wad of yours."

"Well... I don't get out much."

"None of us do. Not enough anyway." Raven shook her head, "This down time is really welcome."

"Yeah... it's nice to not have to save the world at least once a week." Robin smiled, "Batman wouldn't know what to do if crime dropped like it has in Jump."

"Well, you're not Batman." Raven said. She took a slurp from her soft drink and started to push open the doors of the theater. She stopped and looked back over her shoulder to see Robin standing back a ways. "What?" she asked.

He looked at her with a strange expression on his face, "You're right." he nodded, "I'm not Batman."

Raven smiled at him, the meaning of what she'd just said completely lost on her, "Yeah. Let's go on in, the previews are starting."

He walked over, took her hand, and they stepped into the theater.

* * *

As they walked back across the parking lot two hours later, Robin nodded at her, "Okay, so it wasn't that bad."

"Oh, you laughed the whole time. Not that bad..." she shook her head with a small smile, "You liked it. Admit it."

"Okay, okay!" Robin held his hands up defensively, "I liked it."

The sun was starting to set casting everything in golden hues. As they reached the bike, Robin pulled out a remote and hit a button. The clamps holding the helmets in place snapped back down, and they each picked one up.

"So," Robin asked as he gazed into her eyes, "where to for dinner, my dear?"

Raven felt butterflies in her stomach as he said it, and she looked away to hide her blush, "There's a great Italian place down the street. It's not far, actually."

"I was hoping you'd suggest Italian." he grinned, "I could really use a huge plate of ravioli."

"With all the pizza we eat you'd think we'd be sick of Italian." Raven shook her head as they climbed on the bike.

"When you're a teenager," Robin said, stuffing his helmet on his head, "you never get sick of Italian."

* * *

Raven took another bite of her salad and made eye contact with Robin. She'd been doing it a lot, trying to draw him into staring at her longingly. The only problem was that his mask made it impossible to get a read on what he was feeling. She gave up and let him continue with the story he'd been telling.

"So this wacko has me pinned right? I mean, there's no way I'm getting this beam off of my legs, and he's got a gun to my head. He's like, half a second from blowing my brains all over Gotham City. So what does he do?"

"He starts monologing." Raven chuckled.

"He starts monologing. I guess he thought long and hard about why he wanted to call himself the Grater and starts waving that cheese grater around like it's a deadly weapon, never mind the nine mil in his hand. He's going on with this whole story, not even looking at me, and totally gives me time to reach into my belt and toss a freezer grenade at him."

Raven laughed and took another bite. After chewing and swallowing, she arched an eyebrow at him, "You had some wild times back in Gotham. How do you think Jump compares?"

"Well," Robin grew quieter, "I work with a team out here, and I don't have someone constantly overshadowing me... that's one of the major reasons I came out here to form the Titans... to get out of Batman's shadow. Be my own hero, you know?" she nodded and he continued, "It's been... hard out here. On my own, away from the life I used to know... I've got my very own arch enemy now, and I'm way more serious than I used to be..." he perked up, "I've got a great team though, and you guys have made this city my home." he winked at her, "And the girls are tons prettier."

"Stop it." Raven tossed a crouton at him, "Don't say things if they aren't true.

As her conscience screamed at her, she told it to shut up. Yes she was baiting him. Yes she was fishing for a compliment. So what? She was testing the waters, after all.

Robin took the bait, exactly like a predictable male, "Don't sell yourself short, Rae. You're a good looking girl."

"Really?" she told herself that she's been looking for that response, and that it shouldn't mean that much.

It did.

"What's my best feature?"

"That's a loaded question." Robin shook his head.

"Come on!" she grinned at him, "I'll tell you if you tell me."

"Alright, alright." Robin smiled and leaned back, "I'm not going to lie to you and tell you that I never notice your body. You've got all the right curves in all the right places, Raven." she leaned back as well, telling herself it was more comfortable, and that she wasn't giving him a better look at those nice curves, "But let me be up front with you." he shook his head and got that quiet, contemplative look again, "When I'm looking at you and you look back at me... all I can see are your eyes. I'd never met anyone with violet eyes before I met you. You have the kind of eyes guys fall into and don't get back out of."

Raven had to work hard to hide her blush. Now _that_ she hadn't expected. Him being attracted to her body she could understand. Him being attracted to the fact they shared a special bond she could understand. But falling into her eyes?

"Anything else?" she managed to choke out.

"Well, we can't forget your personality. That's what really holds you once you meet someone."

"Oh, now you're being sarcastic." Raven huffed, "I'm not exactly a social butterfly."

"I'm not kidding!" Robin leaned back in and smiled at her, "You're funny, in a sarcastic, moody kind of way, and you really _know_ people. Sure you're a bit quiet, but that's part of what makes you a good person to talk to. You know how to listen, and you're not afraid to speak your mind."

"Stop... embarrassing me..." she blushed madly and tried to hide her face, "I didn't ask you to run down why you want to date me-"

"But you were wondering if I did." Robin cut her off. She peeked through her fingers at him and gasped, "What?" he laughed a little, "Did you think I couldn't figure that one out? Detective, remember?" He leaned in a litter further and whispered, "Want to know what, though? Maybe you should be wondering if I want to date you."

She lowered her hands and smiled sadly as her blush faded, "Robin... we can't-"

"I know." he leaned back again and folded his hands over his stomach, "It would unbalance the team, and if we broke up... it could get messy."

"You wouldn't want to date a dark creepy goth chick anyway..." Raven shook her head, "You need someone like Star-"

"Kori is my best friend." Robin said firmly, "I know she's got a crush on me... I'm not blind. But really... she's a great friend, and I love her, but I couldn't date her."

"Sometimes it's your best friend who makes the best lover."

"And sometimes it's someone else." Robin reached across the table and caught her hand, "When we were back at the theater... when you said that I wasn't Batman... I realized that you're right... I'm not." she blinked at him, her hand warm in his, "He always drummed into me his personal ideals. That you can't have a relationship in our line of work and still be an effective weapon. But he's wrong... it's him. He can't do it. He can't take that stress."

"And you can?" Raven looked up at him, willing her eyes not to look hopeful.

"I don't have to... it should be a joy, Raven, not a burden. I'd like to share that joy with you."

"Are you..." she almost gagged on the words, "... asking me to be your girlfriend?"

"Yes."

She shook her head, "No."

He blinked at her, "No?"

"No." she repeated and smiled weakly, "I'm sorry, Robin, but it would screw with the team too much, and it would end badly, and then things would just fall apart... I understand if you don't want to do anything like this again, or if you want to replace me on the team, but-"

"I don't want this to affect our friendship, Rae." he cut her off, "You're right anyway... we shouldn't..."

"Friends then." she squeezed his hand, "Nothing more."

"Sure." he wasn't even trying to hide his disappointment, "Friends."

* * *

The rest of their meal passed with quiet chit chat, and the occasional laugh. As Robin walked up to pay the bill, she stood from the table and started to follow him. That look of disappointment was still etched on her mind, and being completely honest with herself, she felt the same way. But they couldn't. They just... couldn't.

As she caught up to him at the front of the restaurant, they heard a rumble from above. Glancing out the door, Raven frowned, "The weather didn't say anything about a storm tonight."

"Sudden squall." Robin shrugged, "Let's go before-"

With a flash of lightning, the rain started to come down in buckets.

"Great." Raven mumbled as they walked to the doors.

"Let's just get this over with." Robin pushed open the door, and without looking back at her, dashed out into the rain. Raven took a deep breath and followed him, feeling hurt by his refusal to look at her. As they ran, thoughts poured through her brain.

They pushed each other away for the sake of the team. For the sake of the city. Because it _might_ end badly. Because Starfire _might_ not approve. Because every social force told them not to.

They always did. They always thought of others before themselves. Because that was who they were. Because that's what hero's did. Because that's what they were supposed to do.

But it wasn't _fair_.

They were people too, after all, not just super hero's. Not just the Teen Titans. They were Robin and Raven, living breathing, people, who had feelings, and thoughts, and attraction. Why shouldn't they?

She slowed down and stopped running altogether as she came to a realization. They were running from each other. They were just giving up because a few things might not work out right. Because it wouldn't be perfect. Because it wouldn't be easy. Because it might not be best for everyone involved.

Robin stopped as well when he stopped hearing her foot falls and turned back to look at her. She stared at him and for once, she was sure he was looking at her eyes.

"Why are we running?" she yelled over the sound of the rain pounding down, "We're already soaked!"

"I guess you have a point..." Robin walked back to her and flipped his hair out of his face, "A little water never hurt anyone anyway.

"I mean, why are we running from each other?" she stepped closer to him and spoke into his ear, just like he had done back at the theater, "I like you Robin. I... really like you. And I know you like me, and we're worried about what other people are going to do or think about that? Who cares?" she was shouting now, and he took a step back from her, "Who the hell cares? We're friends, Robin! Nothing can change that! So what if we want to date? We'll still be friends, but we'll just be _better_ friends. If it ends up not working out, then hey, we tried, and we failed. We'll still be friends though! I'm not going to give up on you because I don't like your morning breath!"

Robin arched an eyebrow, "Morning breath?"

"Shut up." she ordered, and started walking towards him. He backed up as she walked forward, listening to her rant, "I say we should go for it, and the rest of the world be damned. We should do something for _us_ instead of thinking about the rest of the world first. We should be selfish, and we should just do what ever the hell we feel like doing." he bumped into the motorcycle and she leaned into him, "What do you say Robin?" he looked down at her face, and saw that tears were glistening at the corners of her eyes, "What do say, Richard?"

He just smiled and kissed her. She melted into him, and he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her up off the ground. Turning, he deposited her on the motorcycle and she wrapped her legs around him, deepening the kiss. Her fingers tangled in his hair, and his hands gripped her back and shoulders.

They stayed like that for a long time, making out in the rain.

* * *

The doors of the elevator at Titan Tower opened to the residential level and Raven and Robin stumbled out, still making out as they went. Raven giggled into his mouth as they somehow made it down the hall to her door. There, she pinned him against the wall and started kissing down his throat, licking at the rain water and the sweet taste of his skin.

"We should get out of these clothes..." he murmured as she nibbled at his neck.

"How can a girl pass up that kind of offer from the Boy Wonder?" she asked, snaking her hand up under his shirt, which was plastered to his body. He pulled up on her shirt as well, pulling it off and tossing it through her door as it opened.

As they stood in the hallway, hands exploring each other's bodies, her topless and him with his shirt half off, one of the doors further down slid open very quietly and green eyes topped by red hair peered out to see what the noise was.

If the two lovers heard the gasp of their friend, they chose to ignore it and just moved into Raven's room as she started trying to undo Robin's pants.

* * *

Part Two: Beast Boy and Starfire

Beast Boy stepped out of his room with a huge yawn and stretched. Fourteen straight hours with his brand new Gamestation 2 and he was getting hungry. He needed some food if he was going to beat Super Ninja Fury 5. (Limited edition with bonus levels!)

As he walked down the hall, his hyper sensitive hearing picked up three distinct noises. The first was the hum of electronics in Cyborg's room. He knew the robotic Titan was doing his hardware diagnostics today, so that wasn't a surprise. The second was a muffled sob from Starfire's room. She was doing some strange alien thing today, though so...

Checking his watch, he saw that it was half past one in the morning. She'd be done with the Day of the Dead or whatever it was. So why was she crying?

Listening hard, he made out the last sound, coming from Raven's room. It was kind of a... moan? No, there was a grunt right there, and that sounded like someone getting slapped...

"The hell..." he decided to check on Star once he figured out what Raven was up to. Walking silently over to her door, he noted that the electronic lock had been activated. Leaning in, he listened carefully.

"Uh!" There! That was Raven, "Yeah... just... right there..." Beast Boy leaned away from the door, his eyes widening. That was definitely Raven's voice, but it sounded like she was doing something most un-Raven like.

Listening again, he heard a second voice, "Shit... uh... Rae that's... oh God..."

"Robin?" he whispered as he stepped back, "No way..." at least he knew what Starfire was crying about now. He turned to go comfort her, but then his body turned back. His brain told him not to, but his body seemed to have different ideas. Suddenly, he found that he was a fly, and that he'd flown through the AC vent in the hall way, and taken the left turn he needed to take to get to the vent on the wall of Raven's room that over looked her bed.

"Why am I doing this?" he asked himself, "Why do I want to see what they're doing? I'm not a pervert. I'm not a voyeur."

Regardless, he found himself peering through the vent into a darkened room, lit only by the moon and star light that poured through the open windows, casting everything into silvery shadow.

There they were, Raven on her knees with her face down on the bed, her back arched and her hips pushed up in the air. Robin behind her, moving slowly, drawing gasps and moans out of Raven's lips. Sweat glistened on both of them, despite the cool temperature they'd been keeping the Tower at since it had grown so warm outside.

Robin had removed his mask, and as Raven pushed herself up on her hands, his eyes went wide and he pushed into her deeper. She smiled a predatory smile and looked back at him, "You like that?"

"Hell yes..." he replied, moving slightly faster. Bringing back his hand, he smacked her bottom and she yipped a little. Giggling, they continued.

Beast Boy backed away form the vent. After all of that, he needed a cold shower.

He only made it seven inches before he turned back.

* * *

Robin stroked Raven's hair where she lay on his chest, completely spent. They were both still breathing hard, and he found that his limbs felt like they were made of lead. Reaching out and fumbling at her night stand for a few seconds, he found her communicator and flipped it open. Checking the time, he saw it was 2:36 a.m.

"Wow." he said.

"Hmm?" Raven made a noise of inquiry, her face still buried in his chest.

"We just had sex for three and a half hours." he shook his head, "That's crazy."

Lifting her head, Raven gave him a weak smile, "Let's do it again tomorrow, okay?"

"Sure." Robin wrapped his arms around her and rolled her off of him. She flopped to the side and grabbed him about the chest.

"Stay here tonight?" she mumbled into his shoulder.

"Of course, Rae. I'm not leaving this bed for anything right now."

"Good." she slurred out, half drunk from sex and sleep, "I wont have to kick your ass then..."

Robin laughed a little and held her tighter. After a few moments, he realized she was fast asleep.

"Sleep well, my beautiful Raven." he whispered, and kissed her forehead.

* * *

Starfire looked up as a knock sounded on her door. Glancing at her clock she saw it was just past 2:30 in the morning. Who would be bothering her this early?

Then again, she was up, so why shouldn't whoever was knocking be up?

Then again, she was the only one in the tower who'd just had her heart broken...

The knock sounded again, and she sighed, "Who is it?" she asked.

"Um... it's me, Star." Beast Boy's voice sounded though the door, "Can I come in?"

Starfire looked down at herself. She was wearing a sheer silk nightgown, and nothing else. It dropped down to her knees, but the way she was sitting on her bed, it rode up to her thighs. She blinked and frowned, "Yes, Beast Boy. You may enter."

The doors slid open and Beast Boy stepped in, wearing sweat pants and a plain white t-shirt, "Hey. I heard you crying a little while ago. Is everything alright?" he looked concerned.

Star arched an eyebrow at him and sniffed once, "I have not been shedding tears for almost an hour now."

"Yeah, well... I was all smelly from being holed up in my room all day and I wanted to take a shower before I came over here and invaded." he laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head, "There's no stink like a smelly Beast Boy, right?"

Star just stared at him.

"Okay!" he threw himself forward and fell on her bed at her feet. She let out a small, "Eep!" and backed up a little so he wouldn't be able to see up her nightgown. He let out a ragged sigh and folded his hands in front of himself, "I couldn't help it! I had to go look! I had to see if they were really... well... you know..."

Starfire froze and looked down at Beast Boy, "Who is they, and what were they doing?" she asked, fearing the worst.

"Um..." Beast Boy sat up, "Raven... and Robin?" he winced and held his hands up defensively. When no starbolts blasted him back out into the hall way, he looked over his hands and gave a nervous chuckled when he saw her eyes boring into his, "And they were uh... having sex. In Raven's room."

Starfire's mouth dropped open and she stared at him for a full minute. Then she seemed to regain her focus and looked at him like he was highly contagious, "And you watched them?" she sounded freaked out.

"I couldn't help it! I had to see if they were really... you know... doing it." he threw himself back down on her feet, "Forgive me Star! Please!"

Starfire, her dignity forgotten, pulled him up and looked at him imploringly, "Please, Beast Boy... did it look like... they were enjoying it very much?"

"Um..." Beast Boy looked around for a moment, as if searching for anyone who might be listening, "Yeah... they were really into it. Spanking and everything."

Starfire dropped him back to her bed and flopped back as well, "Oh no! So I have no hope of getting Robin back by way of better sex!"

Beast Boy felt his blood pressure rising as he stared straight forward, right up Star's nightgown. She even had her legs spread slightly and her knees bent up. It was... perfect.

Slapping himself and sitting up quickly, he grabbed his own head and shook it, "Man! What the hell is wrong with me lately? First I'm watching Raven and Robin having sex, then I'm looking up Star's skirt! What's next? Live feeds from HIVE girls locker room?"

Starfire squealed and flew back off the bed, crossing her legs, "You were looking up my skirt?"

"Aw shit." Beast Boy braced himself as Starfire hurled a starbolt at him, blasting him off the bed and back into the wall. Silkie woke up from where he was sleeping in his own bed, and made a noise of displeasure.

Sitting up, Beast Boy rubbed his head, "It was an accident Star! And it's not like you helped by laying the way you were!" he stood up and walked back over to the bed, "Can we please just talk like normal people here?"

Starfire flew over to him, grabbed him and threw him back down on her bed. He watched in horror as she quickly yanked off her nightgown and hovered over him, naked. His eyes grew wide and he began to stutter incoherently as he took in the full glory of her super-modal body.

"Am I not attractive?" Star implored of him, "Do I not 'do it for you?'"

"Dah... umb... graa..." Beast Boy gripped the sheets to keep himself from reaching out and touching her.

"Please! Friend Beast Boy! You must make love to me and tell me if I am desirable!"

Later, Beast Boy would just shake his head and lament a golden opportunity for wild sex missed, but right then, his mind snapped into focus, "What? Star, no!"

She floated down to the foot of the bed and let her head drop into her hands. She sobbed once and wailed out, "You do not think I am attractive either!"

"Star... Kori..." Beast Boy sat up and crawled over to her, nervously wrapping his arms around her slim, bare frame, "I'm not saying you're unattractive, or undesirable. Any straight guy in his right mind would want to get with you... but... I can't... not like this." he squeezed her, "I think you're very beautiful, and I think you're a great girl, Kori, but I wont be a Robin stand in."

Starfire buried her face in his chest and hugged him. He hugged back and held her while she cried. After a few minutes, he pulled back and lifted her chin up so that she would look him in the eye, "Look... I know it's not easy, but... Robin and Raven... they always know what they're doing. They don't just go off and do stuff like this without considering the consequences. They must be in love, or something."

Starfire sniffed and looked miserable, "But... I thought Robin... and Raven has never..."

"I'm sure Robin still feels very strong about you Star... but probably in that best friend kind of way. As for Raven," he chuckled, "Well, I guess she's a girl too. I mean, you both had those crazy crushes on Aqualad for a while there..."

"Garfield... do not make fun of me right now, or her. This is... very hard." Star frowned.

"I know Kori. Hey, you want to go get some ice cream and stuff ourselves silly?"

"Why don't you go get the ice cream, and I'll clean up a bit."

They looked out at her room, which was covered with tissues and empty tissue boxes.

Beast Boy laughed a little, "Yeah, okay." Standing, he walked to her door and opened it. Looking back over his shoulder, he saw her, still naked bending down to pick up a tissue box. He stared at her rear for several seconds before he finally got control of himself again and walked out, shutting the door behind him.

* * *

Beast Boy had his head in the freezer, digging out his secret stash of Fubber Berry Delight when he heard a noise behind him. Pulling himself out, his ice cream firmly in hand, he glanced over his shoulder.

A bright light flared to life, blinding him and causing him to stumbled back into the refrigerator. He held up a hand to block the brilliant beam.

"Dude! Cy! What the hell, man?" Beast Boy tried to move out of the light that Cyborg was shining on him, "That thing's bright!"

"I know!" Cyborg replied with great enthusiasm, "Just upgraded it to 3,000,000 candle power!" stepping forward, he grabbed Beast Boy by the scruff of his neck and deposited him by the kitchen table. Turning that light on with a flick of the near-by switch, he moved the hanging overhead so that it too was pointing at Beast Boy's face, like a cop interrogating a criminal, "Now why would you be up at three in the morning, stealing all the ice cream, hmm?"

"It's for Star! She's crying and sad and really depressed!" Beast Boy waved off his friend who chuckled and stepped back.

"Why's she so bummed?"

"Check this out..." Beast Boy rubbed his eyes with the back of his free hand (the other one held three pints of ice cream), "I walk out of my room and start hearing these noises, so I investigate. It was Raven and Robin."

"Yeah, so?" Cyborg arched an eyebrow.

"They were having sex, dude!" Beast Boy replied like it was the most obvious thing ever.

"What?" Cyborg's mouth fell open, "You're kidding right?"

"No way, dude! They were totally doing it! I heard them moaning and spanking and everything!"

"Man..." Cy sat down at the table, "If Star knows then I bet she _is_ pretty broken up about it."

"Yeah. I went to check on her and she's all weepy and stuff. I'm going back up with ice cream now."

"You want me to come with you?"

"No!" Beast Boy thought about her actions just prior to his retrieval of the ice cream, "No, I think it'd be best if just I go. She just needs someone to cry on for a while."

"Okay." Cyborg shook his head, "Raven and Robin, huh?"

"I know. It'll take some getting used to." Beast Boy frowned.

"We'll talk about it as a team sometime soon." Cyborg waved it off, "Why don't you just go back to Star now."

"Right. See you in the morning dude." and Beast Boy walked back to the elevator, leaving Cyborg to shake his head and sigh.

* * *

Knocking lightly, Beast Boy called through the door as quietly as he could, "Um, Star? You still in there?"

"Yes!" she called back, "You may enter!"

Hitting the open button, Beast Boy waited for the doors to slide open, then stepped in and let them shut behind him. He shifted the ice cream to one hand and smiled around the stack at Star, "Hope you like Fubber Berry Delight!" he said with a grin.

Then his mouth fell open as his brain processed what his eyes were seeing.

Starfire was not only still naked, but she had tied her hair back, revealing slim, but smooth shoulders. She was floating above the ground near her bed, having just finished tossing the last of the tissue into the garbage can that sat next to her desk. She looked at him quizzically, "Is there something the matter, Beast Boy?"

Reaching behind himself, he hit the electronic lock for her door and turned back to her, "It's just that... well, you haven't put any clothes back on." he laughed a little and rubbed the back of his head.

"Should I?" she asked, "You have already seen me in this state and did not seem to mind before... does it make you uncomfortable?"

"Well... it's just... you see Star, you're really... really, good looking... hot. Sexy. You make me want to... um..."

"Oh!" she covered her mouth with her hands, then lowered them and flew over to him with a small smile, "You _do_ want to make love to me."

"It's not that... it's just..." he stepped around her and backed towards the table she had set up for tea, "I don't think there's a straight guy alive who wouldn't want to have sex with you in this situation... you're a babe, and you're upset and vulnerable, and I'd feel really, really bad about taking advantage of this situation."

"I see." Star floated to the ground and walked over to him, taking the ice cream from his hands, "There is only one way to remedy this problem then."

"Yeah." Beast Boy let out a small breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

"You must also remove your clothes." Star nodded.

Beast Boy just stared at her.

"What?" Star grinned, "I have 'shown you mine,' now you must 'show me yours.'"

"I don't think... that's not..." he stuttered for a moment, "That's not fair!" he whined, "I never agreed to anything like that!" he poked her to emphasize his point.

Star's eyes widened and she took a step back, one hand over her left breast.

Beast Boy then realized he'd just poked Star in the boob.

"Aw, shit." he closed his eyes and braced for the starbolts, but they never came. Opening one eye, he saw that she was grinning again, "What?" he asked, fear creeping into his voice.

"I will refrain from punishing you, but in return, you must do as I have asked." she leveled a glare at him and stepped back. Standing with her legs apart and one hand on her hip, she pointed at him and with a commanding tone ordered, "Strip."

"Aw, man..." Beast Boy sighed and pulled his shirt off.

* * *

A half hour later, Beast Boy was still red in the face, Starfire was still giggling, and the ice cream was half gone.

Beast Boy sat next to Star on her bed, a pillow in his lap, covering the evidence of his obvious arousal, which Star kept trying to take away from him in between bites of ice cream. He had manadged to hold on to it so far, but it was only a matter of time before-

"Ha!" Star cried in triumph yanking the pillow away while he was distracted by a bite of Fubber Berry Delight. He yelped and quickly morphed into a turtle, landing on the bed next to her and glaring up at the alien girl.

Giggling, she lifted him up and snuggled his face against hers, "Do not be so afraid Beast Boy! I am not embarrassed by your aroused manhood! It makes me feel... better to know that you are attracted to me. That Robin has not passed me by because my body is undesirable to him."

Beast Boy morphed back into himself, over balencing her. She fell back with a small shout of alarm and he ended up on top of her, pinning her legs down, "Let's see if it's funny now!" he said with a grin and began to tickle her sides.

Starfire began to laugh and struggled a little bit. He knew in the back of his head that she could if she could throw a truck half a block down the road, she could easily hurl him off of her and through the side of the Tower, but it didn't bother him that she was letting him tickle her. He enjoyed the feeling of their bodies being pressed together, her breasts rubbing against his chest, her hands clutching at his back...

Her legs began to spread open and he quickly came back to himself and stopped moving all together. She quieted down and looked up at him, "What is the matter, Garfield?"

"This is going to far..." he shook his head and began to sit up, but she held him in place.

"I know you want to..." she said with a small smiled at him, "I am willing, and not just to 'get back' at Robin and Raven. I would be happy to please you as you please me." she smiled a little wider, "I believe what they say on TV is that 'it is just sex.'"

Beast Boy swallowed hard, "You want to have sex with me... just because?"

"You are a good friend, Garfield. Maybe we do not share romantic feelings, but why can we not be attracted to one another? Why can we not have friendly sex?"

"But..." Beast Boy shook his head, "You wouldn't want to do this if Robin were still available."

"But Robin is not available." she shook her head and spread her legs apart all the way, wrapping them around his waist, "Come now, Garfield. Let us join."

Beast Boy swallowed hard again, threw caution to the wind and kissed her.

* * *

Starfire's clock read 4:24 a.m. as she and Beast Boy lay in her bed next to each other, staring at the ceiling. They had pulled her sheets up around themselves, not exactly cuddling, but being near one another. The silence between them was comfortable, and Star's hand lightly trailed along Beast Boy's bare chest.

"It was good?" she asked.

"Yeah." Beast Boy smiled over at her, and she smiled back, "It was great."

"I enjoyed myself as well." Star leaned in and kissed him lightly on the forehead, "Was it... your first time?"

"Um... yeah." Beast Boy smiled shyly, "Was it yours? I mean, I know it usually hurts a girl the first time and you didn't seem to feel any pain..."

"I am not a human girl." Star reminded him, "Tameranian woman have a slightly different physiology than human women do. We are built for giving birth to large, strong babies, so we have none of the pains humans normally associate with sex and child birth."

"Oh." Beast Boy blinked, "That's good."

"Yes." Star nodded happily.

"So... it was your first time then?"

"Yes, it was." Star pulled her hand back and reached for the ceiling, stretching her arms, "I am glad it was with you."

"You're not... disappointed it wasn't Robin?"

"He made his choice. If that choice is Raven, we will simply have to accept that."

"Do you really think it's going to be that easy?" Beast Boy sat up and leaned on one arm as he looked down at her.

Her face fell and she frowned, "No. It will be a difficult adjustment... and I am not sure if I am not angry at Raven."

"Do you think... it was a bad idea to have sex?"

"No..." Beast Boy shook his head, "We both learned a little, I think. About each other, and about our selves."

"Yes... it is just... I do not think Robin will see it that way."

"What about Raven?"

"As much as I may not approve of her starting a relationship with the man she knows I love, I will not let my anger cloud my reasoning. She will understand."

"She'll blame me."

"At first, yes. But once you tell her the truth, she will be forced to understand the reality of the situation. I was willing, and in full command of my sanity. It was consensual sex between two friends."

"You think we'll ever do it again?" Beast Boy knew his voice sounded hopeful, but tried to hide the same look from over taking his face.

"Yes." Star turned to him and touched his face, "I think we will."

"Good... I mean..." he smiled stupidly, "I mean, I'd like that."

"Good. I would enjoy your company as well. Now," she reached over and turned off her bedside lamp, which was the only light left on in the room, "let us sleep."

* * *

In the living room, Cyborg drooled on the back of the couch as he slept there, an infomercial muted on the TV.

* * *

Closing Notes: As I said in the opening notes, more to come on this one eventually. Not much, but enough to tell the rest of the story. Stay tuned. 


	2. Falling Down

Falling Up

A Teen Titans Fanfiction by Jacob McDonald

Opening Notes: When I started this story, I wanted it to be really fluffy and cute, and full of positive emotions. Then I wrote this chapter, reread it, and thought, "Crap. It's getting really dark."

That brings us to the here and now. This chapter turned out to be the middle of the story. I'm working on the last part now, but don't expect to see it for at least a week or two. I have other things to write, and school is winding down now, which means lots of stuff to do. Have fun with this part though, and look for more within a month or so.

Standard disclaimers apply: I don't own Teen Titans, and wont until I can engineer a corporate takeover of Warner Brothers.

* * *

Chapter 2: Falling Down

* * *

Raven padded into the living room of Titan tower early the next morning. She smiled fondly at Cyborg where he was passed out on the couch, cartoons playing on the muted TV in front of him. Walking to the kitchen, she took out her kettle and went about boiling water for some tea.

"Hey." she jumped from where she was standing next to the stove and turned around to see Cyborg standing there yawning, "Man, I had some messed up dreams last night."

Raven watched as he staggered over to the coffee maker and began dumping instant coffee into it. She glanced down at herself as he continued to ignore her and wondered why he hadn't freaked out that she was wearing nothing except her black silk robe. Even her feet were bare.

"Um... why don't you tell me about them?" she asked as she shrugged and turned back to her tea, "Dreams can sometimes hold deeper meaning than you might think."

"Well, to start with, I dreamed up Beast Boy eating all of our ice cream. Something about Star being upset... I don't know. Then... um... oh yeah. You'll get a kick out of this one," he chuckled, "I dreamed that BB told me that you and Robin were having sex all night last night!" he slapped his thigh, "Aw man... told ya they were messed up."

"Yeah." Raven swallowed hard as she began to process all of this information, "Real messed up."

"Something wrong, Rae? You don't sound so good." he looked over at her and his eyes popped open as he really saw her for the first time that morning, "Holy... Rae! Where's your uniform? You have toes? Is that silk?"

She turned and glared at him, the robe falling open in the front a little, revealing the curves of her breasts, "My uniform is in my room, yes I have toes, and of course it's silk. I don't own any robes that aren't."

Cyborg took in her state of undress, her tussled hair, her exhausted stance, and the slowness with which she moved. "Holy shit. You _did_ have sex with Robin all night last night!"

"No, I didn't." she turned back to her tea, "We only went at it for three hours or so."

Cyborg's mouth fell open, "You... and Robin? I thought he was sweet on Starfire!"

"Well, since he's _my_ boyfriend now, I'm guessing that's not the case!" she snapped, and a glass that was sitting on the counter exploded.

"Whoa... calm down Rae." Cy took a step over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder, "I'm cool with that, but it just kind of... came out of no where, you know?"

"Yes." Raven shook her head, "I'm not sure it was the best idea in the world, but... we'll never know if it will work if we don't try. That's all I want. To just... try to do something for _me_." she looked over at him imploringly, "Does that make any sense? That I'm sick of always doing things to please everyone else, and to save everyone else... I just want to be selfish and do something brash and impulsive."

"I can relate, Rae, I really can... but don't you think sleeping with Robin is a bit... over the top? I mean, what about Star-"

Raven threw her hands up and faced him again, a look of utter exasperation etched on her face, "_Fuck_ Starfire! _Fuck_ her feelings! _Fuck_ what _she_ wants!" Raven reached out and grabbed his arm, her eyes pleading with him, "What about what _I_ want? What about what _I _feel?"

Cyborg took a step back, "Calm down, Rae! You'll level the tower if you don't!" the walls were shaking.

Raven took a deep breath and calmed herself. Turning back to her boiling water, she quickly placed several tea bags in it. She tapped her bare foot for a moment, then whirled back to face Cyborg again, "I'm going to finish making my tea, and then I'm going to take it upstairs to my room. There, I will spend the rest of the morning lounging in bed with _my_ boyfriend, probably naked!"

"Aw, now come on! I didn't need to hear that part!" Cy wrinkled his nose.

"Then," Raven continued, "we'll have sex again before we come down here. When we get down here, there will be drama, I'm sure, but until then," she took a step closer to Cy and put a finger in his face, "until then, I do not want to be disturbed by anyone, least of all Starfire. Do you understand that?"

"Loud and clear, Rae." Cyborg shook his head, "You just go on with your bad self."

"Good." and she turned back to her tea, ignoring him for the rest of the time she was in the kitchen before she swept out of the room and back up stairs to Robin.

* * *

Beast Boy opened his eyes slowly, the bright light and the pinkness of Starfire's room assaulting his retinas in a rather painful manner. How she woke up to it everyday he would never know. Maybe it was something to do with her being Tameranian.

"Good morning, Lar'gatal." Starfire said from where she lay next to him in the bed, writing in a diary.

"Um... morning..." Beast Boy yawned as he sat up and looked over at her bare body, "Damn... you're sexy."

Star giggled and continued writing.

"What's a Lar... gat..."

"Lar'gatal." Starfire said it slowly so he'd be able to under stand it, "It is the Tameranian word for... well, Lover I guess."

"Lover... is that what we are now?" Beast Boy became a cat and stretched his legs out in front of him. Morphing back into himself he flopped back on the bed, not caring if she saw him naked any more.

"I do not know." Star smiled anyway, "We are friends who share sexual relations... what do you call that on Earth?"

Beast Boy shrugged, "Any number of things. Let's see," he thought for a moment, "Fuck buddies?"

"Too vulgar." Star smiled and shook her head.

"Bed buddies?"

"Not vulgar enough." Star winked at him.

"Um... friends with benefits?"

"That sound acceptable. Are there any others?"

"Casual sex partners?"

"I think we will stick to friends with benefits."

"Okay." Beast Boy nodded and sat up again, "I'm going to head back to my room for a shower." he glanced at her diary, "What are you writing about me?"

"Nothing you will ever be able to read." Star showed him the page she was working on and he saw that it was written in odd squiggles that he assumed was her native language.

"Oh." he shrugged, "Okay."

Star laughed and pointed at the door, "Go take your shower, Beast Boy, and we will meet down in the kitchen for breakfast in half an hour."

"Alright." he got up and starting pulling his clothes back on, "See you then!"

She watched as he stepped out of the door, and it slid shut behind him.

Only then did she allow herself to frown and look back at what she'd been writing about Robin.

* * *

Raven stalked into her room at a brisk stride and set the tray that held the tea she had brewed and two cups down on her nightstand with more force than was really necessary. The noise startled Robin from his half sleeping state and he sat up in the bed.

"Hey..." he said in a soothing voice, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing... just... everyone knows already." she sighed, "I was hoping we could tell them together this morning."

"How'd they find out?" Robin looked confused.

"Beast Boy." was Raven's flat reply.

"Hmm..." Robin scratched his head, "I guess we weren't exactly trying to keep it down last night."

"I only really screamed once..." Raven shrugged and slipped out of her bathrobe, joining her boyfriend in bed. Pulling the tray over to rest across their legs as they sat up side by side, she started pouring tea into the cups, "I ran into Cy down in the kitchen and all he could talk about was Star's feelings, and what this would do to her."

"We _should_ consider Star's feelings." Robin said gently as he stroked her arm, "She's always been a great friend to both of us. She's my best friend, and I know that the two of you get along on a girly basis so don't even try to deny it."

Raven smiled at him, "Star always makes me feel like a girl. You make me feel like a woman though." she kissed him lightly on he lips and he smiled back at her.

"We'll deal with it later." Robin said after a few moments of tea sipping silence, "Until then, I plan on enjoying every last second I have you naked in this bed."

"That sounds like an invitation."

"You bet it is."

Raven giggled as Robin set his tea aside and started kissing and nibbling her neck.

* * *

Beast Boy walked into the kitchen to find Cyborg sipping a cup of coffee and staring off into space, "Hey, man. What's up?"

"Hmm?" Cyborg looked up at him and smiled weakly, "Nothin. Just... thinking."

"Bout what?"

"Raven. She was... really intense when she was down here just a little while ago."

"When is Raven not intense?" Beast Boy asked with an arched eyebrow as he opened the refrigerator to find something to eat.

"Not like that." Cy shook his head, "She got real pissed when I mentioned Starfire. She was really insistent that she and Robin were an item now, and that she didn't give two shits what the rest of us thought about it."

"Really?" Beast Boy looked back over his shoulder, slightly surprised, "It's not like them to not think things through."

"Tell me about it. Look... I think we should let them work it out with Star on their own. Raven made it pretty clear that it was none of our business."

"I can't do that." Beast Boy shook his head.

"Why not?" Cyborg stood up, bringing his empty cup over to the sink to rinse out, "Robin should be the one to talk to Star, and she and Raven are going to have to figure something out to get along... how did your talk with Star go last night anyway? Is she feeling any better?"

"Oh yeah..." Beast Boy blushed as he turned back to the refrigerator, "She's good."

"That looked like a blush there, B." Cyborg smirked, "You make a move on Star now that Robin is with Raven?"

"Uh..." Beast Boy didn't answer, and after a moment, Cy laughed.

"You did! Dude, how bad did she shoot you down?"

"Um... well... thing is..."

Just then, the doors to from the elevator to the living room opened and Starfire flew in, looking just as she did every day, if not a little less cheerful. Flying into the kitchen, she landed next to Beast Boy and he stood up.

Cyborg looked back and forth between them for a moment. Beast Boy blinked back at him and Star smiled happily, "Good morning, Cyborg! How are you this fine day?"

"Um... I'm okay..." he was still looking at them and wondering what was going on.

"Hello again, Beast Boy. I trust any neck cramps you incurred from sleeping in my unfamiliar bed were cured by a hot shower?"

"Yeah." Beast Boy once again threw caution to the wind. Who cared if Cyborg knew? He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek.

Cyborg's mouth fell open as Star giggled and slapped Beast Boy's arm playfully, "Perhaps we should keep the displays of affection to my bedroom, Friend with Benefits."

"Holy shit." Cyborg fell back into a chair, "You and Star?" he pointed at Beast Boy.

"It's not like we're dating or anything dude... it was just... you know... sex." blushing again, the green changeling went back to browsing the fridge, "You want some tofu eggs, Star?"

"I would be delighted to partake of your tofu!" Star nodded and flew to the stove, "I shall ready the pan of frying!"

Cyborg stood up abruptly. Walking briskly to the door, he stopped only when Beast Boy called after him.

"What?" he asked, turning back to see his friend stepping out of the kitchen.

"Dude... don't be mad at me... I don't want this to make you... uncomfortable."

"Yeah?" Cyborg scowled at him, "Seems to me there isn't a person in the whole fucking tower that cares what I feel." and with that, he stalked into the elevator and closed the doors.

Beast Boy fell back against the countertop and sighed, "Fuck." he swore, and turned back to help Starfire with the fake eggs.

* * *

Raven smiled and moaned a little as Robin kissed up her neck. Water from her shower beat down on his shoulders and her back, and he was doing _divine_ things to her with his hands, but it was getting to be late in the morning, and she wanted to get a start on the day.

"Richard..." she pushed him away gently and held a bar of soap up in his face, "We're supposed to be taking a shower."

"But this is more fun." he smiled his trademark lopsided smile and his hands reached out for her again, but again, she pushed them down.

"Behave." she said with a gentle smile and a firm voice. He sighed and turned his back to her, putting his hands on the side of the shower stall.

As Raven began to scrub his back, he rolled his neck and spoke, "Do you think I should talk to Kori alone?"

Raven frowned, "I'd rather do it together, actually. Less of a chance of her trying to put the moves on you that way."

"I wont let her put the moves on me, Rae."

"She's a lot stronger than you, and she might be upset enough by this situation to try and convince you that she's a better... erm..."

"Lay?" Robin turned back around and took hold of one of her arms as the water rinsed the soap form his back. He began to gently wash her soft skin with a wash cloth, "After last night, I don't think I'll ever have decent sex again unless it's with you."

"Decent?" Raven leaned in to him and her tongue flicked across his bottom lip.

Robin pulled his head back with a grin, "Behave." he reminded her, "If you want to do it together, we'll do it together."

"Okay." she nodded, and used her own wash cloth to start on his chest, "Let's just make sure we're good and clean first."

Robin grinned and kissed her.

* * *

Cyborg sat at his desk in his room, tapping one finger on the wood. He stared intently at a framed picture that decorated the upper left corner of the desk, and frowned in contemplation.

The picture had been taken by, of all people, Terra. She had snapped it while they were all just sitting around watching TV one day, but it was still his favorite picture of the team. There was Robin, sitting in between Raven and Star, just like he always did, and Cyborg himself on Star's left, his arm across the back of the couch, giving Robin bunny ears. Beast Boy sat on the floor, leaning back against Raven's knees, smiling up at the camera while he grabbed a handful of popcorn out of the bowl on her lap.

The thing that really made the picture stand out though, was that they were all smiling. Even Raven had a slight upturn to the corners of her mouth. They looked like a family, the only one he'd known for a long time.

Now it seemed like his family was flying apart at the seems. Raven and Robin were dating. Beast Boy and Starfire were sleeping together, even if they claimed they didn't share any romantic feelings. It just left him, out in the cold, all by himself. He knew they still cared for him, but... not like they cared for each other.

Sighing, he flipped up the screen of the computer built into the top of his desk and punched up a com window. Entering the proper codes, he watched as a screen popped up, telling him that the connection to Titans East was opening.

After a moment, a blurry eyed looking young black woman with her hair pulled back into a pony tail answered his call.

"What's up, Cy?"

"Hey, Bee. How you holdin' up out there?"

"I'd be doing better if you'd stop calling at seven in the morning. Five hours of sleep after a long night patrolling Steel City isn't exactly my idea of a good nights rest."

"Sorry." he blushed lightly, "I just needed someone sane to talk to, and you were the first to come to mind."

"Robin not in his right mind again?" she asked with a yawn as she rubbed her eyes. Cyborg had to smile fondly. Even though she was tiered, even though he'd woken her up, she was still willing to talk to him. They shared a close friendship, comforting the other from across the country when their respective teams got to be too much for them to handle.

"I'd say he's lost it big time." Cyborg sighed and rubbed his own eye, "He's started dating Raven."

"Raven?" Bumble Bee sounded shocked, "I always thought that he and Starfire would end up together!"

"We all did, until they proved us wrong. WAY wrong."

"How wrong?"

"They were having sex most of the night last night if you believe Beast Boy's ears."

"God damn." Bee shook her head, "Is Star...?"

"Oh, she's fine. Ran right into Beast Boy's arms, and fucked his brains out."

Bee was silent for a moment as she just stared at him. After a few seconds, she blinked, "That's fucked up."

"They claim that it was just sex. Just friendly sex, you know? Like... I don't know... it'd be like you and me having sex, then saying that we were just really good friends."

"Is that an offer?" Bee waggled her eyebrows at him.

Cyborg glared at her, "Sure, just let me bust out my hydraulic penis attachment and we can go at it."

Bee sighed and shook her head, "You know I was just kidding around, Cy, don't get all pissed." she looked him in the eye, "I know about your inability."

Cy deflated a little and looked away from her, "Yeah, I know."

"Is that was this is about?" she leaned forward on her hands so that her face took up the whole screen, "Are you... jealous of Beast Boy and Robin?"

"No!" Cyborg looked back at her with a scowl, "Why would I be jealous of those two..." he saw her look and frowned, "Okay, so maybe I would like to be able to have sex someday, but it's not like I can just work that kind of hardware into my system!"

"I know." Bee leaned back again and smiled, "But if you ever do, I better be the first girl on your list." she winked.

Cybrog blushed a little and she laughed at him.

* * *

Raven and Robin walked into the living room together, both looking about with purpose. When they spotted Beast Boy and Starfire sitting on the couch, watching cartoons and eating tofu eggs, they looked at each other, then started over.

"Um... Beast Boy?" Robin asked as he stopped behind the couch, "Raven and I need to talk to Star for a few minutes... privately."

"Sure dude." Beast Boy nodded, not looking back at the Boy Wonder, "After this show is over."

"Actually, we really need to do this now." Raven said as she stepped forward.

"Gee, guys, can't wait until after breakfast to break a girl's heart?" Beast Boy glanced over his shoulder with a scowl, "Punk off, we're watching TV."

Robin looked mildly shocked, but instead of reprimanding Beast Boy, he turned to his best friend, "Star, could you-"

"No. I do not wish to speak to you about this yet." Star shook her head not looking away from the TV, "As my friend with benefits, Beast Boy, has said, I wish for the both of you to punk off."

"Friend with..." Robin looked even more flabbergasted, "Star, what are you talking about?"

There was a flash of green light from Starfire's eyes, casting the room in it's glow for a moment. Still not looking at either of the two lovers behind her, Starfire growled out in a low, dangerous tone, "Leave me be, Robin."

"I-" Raven put a hand on Robin's shoulder as he tried to speak again and pulled him away. She shook her head at him and turned back to their friends, "Starfire-"

"I lied to you, Raven." Star said, handing her empty plate to Beast Boy as she rose from the couch in a graceful manner. Turning to face her slightly shocked friend, she narrowed her eyes, "You looked like a brazen hussy in the outfit you were wearing yesterday. Perfect for seducing a boy you know your friend was in love with."

Raven's mouth fell open. Robin's mouth fell open. Beast Boy's mouth fell open.

Never had any of them ever heard a single hurtful thing come out of Starfire's mouth. To hear her openly insult someone, least of all Raven, took all of them by complete surprise.

"I will be in the gym, training." Starfire quickly flew towards the door, "I do not wish to be disturbed." and then she was gone.

"Dude..." Beast Boy looked back at Raven, still slightly shocked, " You got burned, girl."

"Shut up, Beast Boy." Raven narrowed her eyes at him, and the plate Star had handed him cracked.

"What was Star talking about when she called you her friend with benefits?" Robin asked with a frown.

Beast Boy stood up and started walking towards the kitchen. As he passed Robin he scowled at the slightly taller boy, "Just because you don't want her doesn't mean no body does. You made your choice, and she made hers." Robin just stared after the changeling as he made his was to the kitchen. Turning back and glaring at both Raven and Robin, he sneered, "It's a little late to be getting jealous, Robin. Unless," he grinned an evil little grin, "you think you made a mistake last night."

"Shut up." Robin took a step forward and clenched his fists, narrowing his eyes at Beast Boy.

"Or what?" Beast Boy turned and faced him fully, "You'll beat me up? Go ahead! I'm sure that'll go over really well with Starfire!"

"I'm warning you..." Robin started forward.

"Calm down Robin." Raven said, floating forward and putting herself between the two boys, "He's just angry at you for what he thinks you did to Starfire. Don't let his childish behavior get to you."

"Childish, huh?" Beast Boy scowled at her back, "I'm not being childish. THIS is being childish!" and he hurled the plates he was holding into the kitchen wall, where they exploded into little ceramic bits.

"Beast Boy!" Robin shouted, "Chill out, _now_, or I'll kick you off this team so fast, it'll make your head spin!"

"FINE!" Beast Boy stalked past them to the elevator, "I'll start clearing out my room. Who wants to be on a team with a leader who can't even be trusted to think about his friends before he does something stupid?"

"You take that back!" Robin started forward again, but Beast Boy just glared at him as the doors to the elevator shut in his face. "Damnit!" Robin slammed a fist into the door, and hung his head.

Raven was behind him then, "Calm down, Robin." she said in a serious voice, "You can't let your emotions rule you like this... I'm starting to loose control too, trust me, but you of all people need to be strong right now. You can't let the Titans fall apart because of this."

"I know." Robin took a deep breath, then let it out, "I'm going to go talk to Cyborg. Why don't you meditate for a while? Regain your focus."

"I'll do that." Raven leaned into him and wrapped her arms around his waist, "We'll make this work. I know we will."

"Yeah." Robin turned to her and held her in his arms. Kissing her forehead, he pulled away. With a half smile, he said, "Titans, go."

* * *

Cyborg laughed, "So the girl really shot him down that bad?"

"Yeah, Speedy wouldn't show his face for days." Bee laughed with him, "He was so embarrassed that he'd been so totally shut down that he just hid in his room."

"Well, after all the talk he does about how he's such a lady killer... it's a good thing you called his bluff. Taught him some humility."

"Yeah..." Bee laughed a little more, then calmed down, "So... what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to stay the hell out of it. I'll let them figure it out on their own."

"You sure?"

"No." Cy sighed, "I'll get dragged in somehow, especially if they start squaring off. They'll want me to choose a side... I don't think I can."

"Honesty is the best policy." Bumble Bee said with a smirk, "Just go with your heart Cy... it's the greatest asset you have."

Cy smiled at her, "You're a real pal, you know that Bee?"

"Yeah, you too. And I still expect to be the first girl to get a ride on the hydraulic penis."

"I'll start drawing up the blueprints right away."

"I walked in on a really bad part of this conversation, didn't I?" Robin asked from where he stood in Cyborg's doorway.

Bee blushed when she heard his voice, "That's my cue to buzz off. I'll talk to you later, Cy."

Cyborg glared at Robin from his desk for a moment, then turned back to the screen, "Yeah, check ya later." and he signed off. Turned back to Robin, he stood up, "Didn't your parents ever teach you how to knock?"

"My parents died when I was twelve." Robin replied with an arched eyebrow, "And we lived in a circus before that, so there were never any doors."

"I'd hate to see what kind of manners Bruce Wayne has then." Cyborg shook his head as he walked over to a computer terminal and checked the Tower's power grid, "You have something you want to talk about?"

"Yeah... I was wondering if you could go convince Beast Boy not to quit the team."

Cyborg turned around and looked at his friend incredulously, "Jesus, Robin! What'd you say to the kid?"

"Nothing! He just flipped out on me about the whole Raven and Starfire thing!"

"What Raven and Starfire thing?" Cyborg asked, arching his eyebrow.

"You know what I'm talking about. Raven told me you know."

"So why are you embarrassed to say it?"

"I'm not!" Robin slugged the doorframe, glaring at Cyborg, "Why does everyone think that this was such a huge mistake!"

"Because it just... happened!" Cyborg exploded at him, "One minute you're mooning over Star, and teaching her everything there is to know about Earth, then the next, you're fucking Raven for hours at a time and ragging on Beast Boy because he's upset about you breaking Star's heart!"

Robin glared, "I thought you'd understand. I thought you'd be objective." Robin shook his head, "I guess I was wrong."

"I'm not going to choose sides here, Robin." Cy looked away, "You think you feel shitty, think about what it's like to know that you're the only one in the Tower that didn't have sex last night." he turned back to Robin, "Think about someone other than yourself, Boy Wonder."

"That's the point." Robin said, a note of desperation entering his voice, "For once in my life, I wanted to do something for myself, not for everyone else-"

"That excuse works for Raven, but not for you." Cy glared, "You do things without consulting us all the time. Red-X being a shining example." he noted Robin making fists with both his hands, "Look how well _that_ turned out."

"I've already made Beast Boy leave the team, Cy, don't make me do it to you too."

"If you think just you and Raven can be the Titans, then go right ahead, 'cause I'm sure Star would quit if you kicked me out too."

Robin sagged against the doorframe, defeated, "What do you want from me?"

"First, I want you to apologize to Beast Boy. Then I want you to wait for Starfire to come talk to you about this mess. She's probably hurting pretty bad, Rob. Just give her time."

Robin looked away, "First things first. I'm sorry, Cy. I didn't mean to get mad at you."

"I know man. Now go get B before he actually leaves the Tower."

Robin took a shaky breath, and turned away. The doors shut as he left, and Cyborg leaned against the computers he was standing next to.

"That went well." he said with a sigh.

* * *

Starfire hit the bag again. Then again.

Cyborg had designed a punching bag for her to help improve her combat style. It was practically indestructible, and was bolted down to the floor of the training room, as well as welded, as well as glued with the worlds strongest adhesive.

Still, today she was almost knocking it off of it's base.

_Damn_ Robin for being such an insensitive jerk, and _damn_ Raven for going after the one man that _she_ was in love with.

WHAM!

What she had shared with Beast Boy _had_ been great, but it _should_ have been with Robin. He should have loved _her_. He should have wanted _her_.

WHAM!

But he chose Raven. Of all people, he chose the worlds most unfeeling, uncaring, cold hearted _bitch_.

_WHAM!_

The punching bag flew across the room, smashing through Robin's weight set, and crushing the computers on the far wall. Breathing heavily, Star blinked once, then took a step forward.

That had felt _good_.

Looking about, she searched for something else to throw.

* * *

Robin stood in front of Beast Boy's door and took a deep breath. Letting it out slowly, he reached out and knocked, "Beast Boy? It's Robin."

He heard foot steps walking up to the door, then some buttons being pushed. The panel next to the door suddenly flashed red, indicating that the electronic lock had been activated.

Robin groaned, "Come on, BB, don't make me do this..." when no response came from within, Robin sighed and shook his head. He quickly punched in his personal override code that opened any door in the Tower, and stepped back as they slid apart, reveling the mess of Beast Boy's room beyond.

Except there was no mess. All of the trash had been shoved to one side, and there were two large boxes in the middle of the floor. One was labeled 'clothes' and the other was labeled 'stuff', both in Beast Boy's untidy scrawl.

Beast Boy himself was currently digging through his closet, tossing different articles of clothing into the clothes box. He leaned back out of the closet and scowled at Robin as the Boy Wonder stood in his doorway.

"Were you ever going to tell any of us that you could do that? Or was it just another little way for you not to trust us?"

"I'm not here to fight, Beast Boy. Come on, man, talk to me here." Robin stepped into the room and sat down on the bed, his head in his hands. Beast Boy just continued to glare at him. Sighing, Robin peeled off his mask and set it aside. Rubbing his eyes and then pinching the bridge of his nose, he leaned forward.

Beast Boy was slightly taken aback by Robin's sudden removal of his mask. He knew the young hero's identity; they all did, but the Boy Wonder wasn't known to take his mask off for anything. It only served to enhance his shock as Robin spoke again in a faint and quavering voice.

"I made a mess of everything, Gar. I really fucked this one up."

"Wha..." all anger fled Beast Boy's heart as he saw his friend and leader looking so broken and defeated. Robin never showed weakness, especially not to his team, "Dick... you okay man?"

"No." Robin shook his head as Beast Boy walked over and sat down next to him. Sighing again, the black haired young man looked at his friend, "I _love_ Raven, Gar. I really do... but I don't want Kori to be so angry with me, or her, that she wont even look at us, let alone talk to us... she's my best friend... I don't want to loose her over something like this."

"She loved you a lot, you know." Beast Boy said with a frown.

"I know. I've known for a long time. I just... couldn't return those feelings. She's... a sister to me. No... more than that... she's the kind of girl I could date."

"But Rae's the kind of girl you could love." Beast Boy said with a nod, "I think I get it now."

"I think I was being too much of an insensitive jerk to explain it right." Robin shook his head, "That and the whole friend with benefits thing kind of took me by surprise."

"Yeah, about that..." Beast Boy rubbed the back of his head, "Don't be too mad at me, okay? I mean, I really tried to tell her we shouldn't do it, but she was very... um... convincing."

Robin arched an eyebrow and stared at him with pricing blue eyes, "How far did it go?"

"Um..." Beast Boy grabbed a pillow, "All the way."

BLAM! He barely got the pillow up fast enough to protect his face as Robin's fist flew at him. The impact still knocked him off the bed, "Jesus Christ, Beast Boy! Comforting her is one thing, but _sleeping with her_?" Robin had stood up and was now looming over the changeling with his fists clenched in front of him.

"Dude!" Beast Boy scrambled away from him, "We're being rational here, remember? And it's not like she didn't _want_ to or anything! _She's_ the one that convince _me_!"

Robin took a few deep breaths and calmed down, "Okay... I'm willing to except that... it's just... like I said, she's my best friend... I'm still concerned for her... erm... dignity."

"Well, we're not exactly dating, but I can tell you up front Dick, I'll treat her right." Beast Boy smiled up at his team leader from the floor and stuck out his hand.

Robin smiled a small smile and grabbed the hand, pulling Beast Boy up, "Alright." he clapped his friend on the shoulder as he continued to shake his hand, "I trust you, Beast Boy. I really do."

"I know, dude. And I trust you too. With Raven's feelings, and her well being. I just wish... you would have told Star first... maybe broken it to her gently instead of her finding out by seeing the two of you stripping each other's cloths off in the hall way."

"She _saw_ that?" Robin paled, "Oh shit... I'll have to apologize _a lot _when she comes to talk to me."

"You're going to wait for her to talk to you?"

"You think I shouldn't?"  
"No, but that's not like you." Beast Boy grinned as he stepped over to his cloths box, "You talked to Cy about this, didn't you?"

Robin reached down to the bed and grabbed his mask. Smoothing it back down over his eyes, he turned and glared at Beast Boy, "So what if I did?" he sounded mildly insulted, but the upward turn of the corners of his mouth gave him away.

"Smartest thing you've done all day." Beast Boy chuckled, "Now help me get this stuff back in my closet. I don't think I'll quit the team after all."

* * *

Raven's eyes popped open as she heard a loud crash. Unfolding her legs and landing from where she'd been floating in the middle of her room, meditating, she walked out into the hall way.

Another crashing sound came from the level above her.

Someone was tearing apart the gym, and it didn't take someone with her keen intellect to figure out who.

Assuming the form of her Soul Self, Raven phased through the ceiling as a large black bird of prey. Rematerializing in the gym, she looked around for Starfire.

Her eyes grew wide and she hurled herself to the floor as one of Cyborg's weights flew past where her head had just been. It slammed into the far wall, lodging it's self there. Raven looked back over at where Starfire held another on the weights in her hands, ready to pitch it as well.

"Sorry." Starfire said, sounding entirely unrepentant, "I didn't see you when you materialized."

Raven let the unintentional attack slide, "What the hell are you doing in here Star? You've torn the whole place apart!"

Star looked around. She had indeed ripped most of the equipment up and hurled it to various other parts of the room. There was a large hole in the wall, leading into the equipment storage room, from where she'd hurled one of the I Beams that Raven bent with her powers in order to gain finer control of them.

Shrugging, she floated down to the ground and tossed the weight aside, "I was frustrated." she said simply and started for the showers.

Raven blinked as she stood up, "Frustrated? You wrecked almost a half a million dollars in work out equipment because you were _frustrated_?"

Starfire chose not to dignify her with an answer as she walked primly through the door into the locker rooms, and the showers beyond.

Growling out a curse, Raven followed.

Upon entering the locker room, she saw Starfire had already tossed her skirt aside and was currently pulling off her top, revealing the lacy white underwear beneath. Standing and staring for a moment, she marveled at why Robin had chosen her when he could have had _that_.

"You know, Star, you're... really good looking."

"Apparently Robin thinks you are better looking than I am." Star turned her back to her friend and lifted one foot to pull off her boot.

"I'm sure that's not true." Raven shook her head, "He probably thinks you're the hottest chick on the planet, like every other male of heterosexual orientation. He chose to sleep with me, and to be with me, because... well..." she faltered, and blushed slightly, "he loves me."

"As he loves me." Star replied shortly as she yanked off her second boot, "Do not think that I don't realize that he went for you because you offered him more than I had in the past."

"I offered him what he wanted, yes, but he asked _me_ out first, Star. He... really..." she trailed off again, realizing that her friend wasn't listening to her.

"You should leave me alone now, Raven." Star said quietly, "I am very upset with you, and do not wish to grow so angry that I may do something I would regret."

"You can't hurt me, Star. We both know that." Raven was mildly offended that Starfire thought that her powers were even a match for the pure, frightening darkness she commanded.

"Really?" Star whirled around, her eyes blazing green, "Why must you assume you are better than me at everything, Raven?" and she blasted the other girl back out into the gym with twin beams of energy from her eyes.

Raven hit the ground with a grunt of pain, but rolled up quickly. She knew Star would be on her in a second if she tried to speak the words of power that she needed to pull out the big guns, but she could focus enough through the pain to use her lesser powers.

The lockers around Starfire all slammed open and various items started flying out of them. Hair brushes, deodorant, shampoo, hair gel, Beast Boy's socks... all became projectiles aimed at the tower of rage that was Starfire.

"Ew!" she shouted as she slapped aside the foul smelling foot covers that hurled in her direction, "Raven!" she screamed and hurled a starbolt at the other girl.

Raven ducked it and dashed forward, bringing her hands up while the Tameranian was distracted, "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!" she shouted out, and the benches in front of the lockers uprooted themselves and bent like the cheep mettle they were, wrapping around Star and pinning her arms to her sides.

"You... you..." Starfire's eyes burned with green fury and she growled at Raven, "_Bitch!_"

Raven stopped her forward advance and glared. Lifting her hands again, she enveloped the lockers on either side of Starfire with black energy. Tearing them free of the walls, she slammed them together, crushing the glowing green girl between them.

"Get out of _that_." Raven smirked and started to walk away. She hadn't made it three steps before she whirled back around and threw up a shield.

The lockers, the benches, and all the contents of the locker room blew apart in a maelstrom of green energy as Starfire burst out of the prison Raven had created for her. Twin beams of emerald energy blasted into the half demon's shield, and wore it down to nothing in a matter of seconds.

"Holy shit." Raven breathed as her powers faded. She had no idea that Starfire could focus her energy beams into such deadly blasts. Her shield could stand the force of a rocket, or protect her from high powered energy weapons. Starfire had just burned through it like it was nothing.

There was no time for her to ponder much more about her friend's powers though, as Starfire came hurling out of the clearing smoke and tackled her to the ground, ripping at her clothes and scratching at her face.

Raven, calm and focused as she was, fell instantly into the classic girl-fight mode and started clawing at her assailant as well. They pulled hair, bit each other, scratched, and started rolling all over the training room, even as the sprinklers started going off from the smoke that was pouring up to the ceiling.

* * *

Robin was laughing at the fact that Beast Boy actually owned a beanie with a helicopter blade on top when the explosion rocked the Tower. Both young men looked above them and then back at each other.

"You don't think Star would really blow the Tower apart do you?" Beast Boy asked.

"Not without provocation... and that means Raven probably tried to talk to her."

"Shit." they said in unison and dashed out the door. Cyborg met them as they ran past his room, and was hot on their heels in a second.

"This had better not be what I think it is." he said in a grim tone.

"Just help us get them apart." Robin shouted back with an irritated sounding voice as they all piled into the elevator.

A few second later, they were running out of the lift and down the hall to the training room doors. Robin wasted no time unlocked them, and the three of them burst in, ready for anything.

Anything accept Raven, her cloak missing and her clothes torn to shreds, and Starfire, wearing only her bra and panties, wrestling on the floor, both soaking wet. All three of their mouths fell open as they listened to the fight rage on.

Star slammed Raven down into the ground and shouted in her face, "Love stealing, dark, creepy, cold hearted, bitch!"

Raven slammed her forehead into Star's, sending the other girl reeling back. She took the advantage and tackled her opponent over, pinning her to the ground, "Empty headed, over emotional, ditzy, stupid, _slut_!" she leered at the girl beneath her, "Did you really think Beast Boy would be a good stand in so you could fantasize about fucking _my_ boyfriend?"

"YES!" Star screamed back, lifting Raven off of her, and hurling her into a wall, "Yes, he was an excellent stand in! And he made me feel wanted again! Something I'm sure you'll never do! You or Robin! You both make me sick! I wish nothing but the worst for you!"

Raven picked herself up and glared at Star, "Well, if you're ever feeling lonely and need to feel like Robin wants you, just go right ahead and fuck Beast Boy's brains out. Just stay away from my man."

"You do not own him!" Starfire screeched, and hurled herself at Raven again, "Someday he will see you for what you are! A cold blooded demon with no real emotion or compassion! On that day, he will come to me, and I will not need Beast Boy to make me feel wanted any longer! On that day, you will be nothing but a cold, forgotten woman!"

Raven's eyes narrowed and she opened her mouth to say something, but another voice cut her off, "That's enough."

The two girls turned to look at Robin, where he stood in the doorway, shutting off the sprinklers. When they shut down, he turned and walked into the room, glaring at them, "Both of you... just be quiet and listen to me. I smoothed things over with Beast Boy without us pummeling the crap out of each other, only to find the two of you hell bent on killing one another." he shook his head and glanced back at Beast Boy, who looked slightly ill after hearing Starfire's words, "I thought better of both of you."

"Robin, I-" Raven started but he held up a hand.

"No excuses. Another word from either of you and I sell the Tower's security footage of this to the first tabloid I can find."

Starfire and Raven looked at each other's state of undress in mild shock and then both glared at Robin, "You would not." Starfire said in a dangerous tone.

"I will." Robin stared her down, and she looked away. "Now, we obviously need to-"

The room flashed red and a siren started going off. Sighing, Robin turned away from them. Clenching his fists, he started for the door, "The two of you go to the medical lab and get patched up. Beast Boy, Cyborg and I will take care of whatever this call is. You two just... stay here. We'll call if we need you." and he walked away.

Cyborg stared at them for a moment longer, shook his head and turned away, "Ya'll better do what he says. See ya' when we get home." and he too left.

The two girls stared at Beast Boy, who looked like he was trying to decide if he should be angry or furious. He gave Starfire a cold look, and she took a step back.

"I told you I didn't want to be just a Robin stand in, Star. Thanks for lying to me, taking advantage of me, and then making it seem like it meant something to you. You're a real pal." he turned away as she started to fly forward.

"Beast Boy! Please do not..." but he had already run down the hallway, and into the elevator. She landed in the hall and her shoulders slumped.

As Raven walked out to join her friend, she heard the sob that escaped from her, and knew that she was crying, even though her back was turned. She placed a hand on Star's shoulder and spoke quietly and gently, "Let's go get cleaned up, Kori."

Nodding silently, Star plodded along behind Raven as the two girls headed down the hall to the medical lab.

* * *

Closing Notes: Not as dark as some of my stuff, but it's way darker than I planed on it being. Oh well. Thanks to everyone that reviewed, and I'll have some extended thanks at the end of part three. 


	3. Coming To Terms

Falling Up

A Teen Titans Fan Fiction by Jacob McDonald

Opening Notes: This one took awhile. Lot's of emotion, lot's of talking, and lot's of angst. I'm not good with angst, but I like how this turned out, so, no complaints.

Standard disclaimers apply. I don't own Teen Titans but I hope to in my next life.

_**Chapter 3: Coming To Terms**_

* * *

**__**

Starfire sat on a bed in the medical room of Titan Tower, frowning down at the floor and looking thoroughly miserable. She was still dressed in only her underwear, and had her right arm crossed across her midsection, the hand holding her left arm. It gave her a look of modesty and purity that she didn't really feel that she had.

"This might sting." Raven said as she applied a cotton swab soaked with iodine to one of the small cuts Star had incurred in their wrestling match in the training room. The bits of mettle that had been scattered across the floor when Star had blown the lockers to little bits had sliced both of them up a little, not to mention the scratches from each other's nails.

For her part, Raven was hardly hurt. Her cloak had offered her some protection before it had been ripped off, and even after that, she had still been clad more than the rather skimpy underwear Star was prone to wearing. Her leotard had been torn at, and it was missing a good chunk of fabric along her left side, which was also where the only major wound she had was. Star's nails had dug deep furrows in her flesh, leaving her bleeding, but otherwise unharmed.

"It does not hurt so badly as my friend's scorn." Star shook her head and a tear slipped down her face, "I am ashamed."

"Your lack of rational thought is understandable, though it _is_ less than desirable."

"I feel that I have ruined everything. Robin, the man I thought I was in love with, has made it abundantly clear that he only wishes to love you, Cyborg I fear has lost all respect for me due to my promiscuous activates with Beast Boy, and Beast Boy himself..." another tear leaked out of her eye, "Beast Boy must hate me for what I have done to him."

Raven applied a small bandage to the cut in Star's shoulder, "Regardless, you must deal with the consequences of your actions and move forward."

"And you, friend Raven," Star continued as if she hadn't heard the other girl talking, "you must truly despise me. I have said many hurtful things to you, and I fear that many of them are simply my true feelings, magnified and put in such a way as to inflict the most damage on your psyche."

Sighing, Raven poked Star sharply in the bandage she had just applied. Star yelped and jumped away from the bed, floating in mid-air and staring with wide eyes back at Raven, "Are you paying attention now?" the dark girl asked.

"Y-yes..." Star nodded.

"Good. Now listen. It takes a whole lot to ruffle my feathers, Star, and you've done a pretty good job of it. For that, I apologize. I shouldn't let my emotions get away from me like that. As for hating you..." Rave smiled weakly and reached out, grasping the other girls hand, "I could never hate you, Kori... you're the only girl I like."

"Truly?" Star asked with a hesitant smile.

"Truly." Raven replied and hopped up on the bed, "Now, while we try to talk this out, can you help me clean up these cuts?"

* * *

The bank robbers were running.

"Not a bad idea." Cyborg muttered to himself as he made sure the vault they had blown open was secure. Robin and Beast Boy had been going after them with a vengeance.

As three of the ten robbers made it to the front doors of the building, a green gorilla dropped down in front of them, blocking their path. They all skidded to a halt, but weren't able to back peel fast enough to get out of Beast Boy's reach.

With a single swipe of his powerful arm, the changeling plowed all three of them off their feet and into a wall, knocking them all out.

A short ways away, Robin fought off two more of them by himself. His bo staff twirled in a dance of deadly precision, hitting both of his assailants five times for every sloppy punch they aimed at him. He dodged all of their blows, and finally took them out with four well placed jabs.

"Cy! The windows!" Robin shouted.

Cyborg looked over at the windows in time to see the other five robbers attempting to break them and escape that way. He raised his sonic cannon, but a rhino plowed all of them off their feet, leaving them in a heap on the far side of the band.

As Beast Boy became himself again, he walked over to the pile of beaten bank robbers and grabbed one of them by the collar, yanking him forward. Sneering in the man's face, he spit out, "You guys never stood a chance really. We would have been easier on you, but you just happened to catch us on a bad day." hauling back a fist, he slugged the man in the face, sending him into unconsciousness.

Robin watched the whole incident, then turned to Cyborg as if he hadn't seen Beast Boy being unusually cruel, "Is that all of them?"

Bewildered at his two friends over-zealous defeat of the criminals, Cy just shook his head, "Yeah, that's all ten of 'em. Way to pound 'em into bloody pulps guys."

"Like Beast Boy said," Robin turned and started stalking towards the doors, "it's been a bad day. Let's move."

* * *

Starfire, _still_ dressed in nothing except her underwear, dabbed at the gash in Raven's side with a cloth, mopping away the still fresh blood. She frowned as she worked, and every now and then, let out a tiny sniffle.

"I am sorry for the things I said, Raven." she said, squinting at the ragged edges of the cuts that her own nails had caused, "I am even more sorry for the fact that I meant some of them."

"Which ones?" Raven asked with a wince as Star probed a sensitive spot, "If you mean the part about how you're going to win Robin from me when he gets tiered of me, I'm going to have to hurt you again."

"No, I do not believe Robin will ever want anything to do with me ever again." she sniffiled, "What I meant was when I said you are... creepy and... cold hearted."

"So I'm not a bitch?" Raven smirked.

"Please," Star looked at her with pleading eyes, "this is difficult."

"I'm sorry. Continue."

"I..." Star looked away, "I have always been intimidated by your stand-offish nature, Raven. You come across as very cold and uncaring. I know deep down that it is because you cannot let your emotions get out of control, but it baffles me as to why you must act this way towards everyone except Robin, whom you obviously love a great deal."

"It's different with him." Raven too, looked away, "He's... more understanding. I know that I can limit myself around him, but he _knows_ how I feel. He understands that it's not him causing me to be so unfeeling, but my need to maintain control."

"I see... I wish... that you had that kind of faith in all of us."

"Kori, I-" Raven started, but Starfire cut her off.

"And when I called you creepy... I do not mean to offend, but... well... you are. You read dark and depressing literature, you dress darkly, you sit in the dark, you look at the negative side of everything, and you despise physical contact unless you are having sex."

"Hey, now..." Raven frowned.

"But it is true, is it not?" Starfire looked up at her and frowned back, "Robin is allowed to take you to bed and do all manner of... kinky things to you, but I cannot hug you without being yelled at."

"Did you just say kinky?" Raven arched an eyebrow.

"After a morning full of me using words not usually found in civilized conversation to insult and degrade you, I did not think it would seem so out of place."

"Well, you're wrong again. I don't _like_ being hugged for every little thing, but I don't mind the occasional friendly squeeze."

"And the rest? Raven, you are as creepy a person as I have ever known."

"I'm sorry you feel that way. I don't see why I should paint my toenails strange colors and braid my hair with you just because you're scared of me." Raven scowled.

Starfire looked away, tears brimming in her eyes, "I just wish for another woman to talk to sometimes."

"About what? Kori, I refuse to have pointless conversations."

"Then why are we talking now?" Starfire stood up, "Perhaps you should apply your own bandages. I will be in my room." and she turned to go.

Raven reached out and caught her arm before she could depart, "Wait! Kori, I... no. Let's talk."

"You do not seem to want to listen."

"Then you listen. I have some things to apologize for as well, and some confessions to make." taking a deep breath while Star turned around and floated in the air, sitting cross legged in front of her, Raven began, "First of all, I know you're not stupid or empty headed. Tameranian's are light years ahead of humans in their culture and their science. Second, you're not ditzy." looking her right in the eye, Raven continued, "What I did mean, was when I said you were over emotional. You... tend to let things get to you far too quickly."

"I thrive on emotion as much as you must repress it, Raven. It is part of who I am."

"And like you, deep down, I know that. It's just hard to put up with sometimes."

"I cannot be less emotional. To do so would be to deny who I am." Starfire nodded into a slight bow, "I am sorry for that."

"Don't sweat it. Just clearing the air. One more thing."

"Yes?"

"Why Beast Boy?" Raven smirked, "I mean, for crying out loud, Kori, he's a green midget with animal rights issues."

"Beast Boy is a very nice person!" Star protested with a half smile, "And I will bet you anything that he is... erm... more impressive than Robin."

"Really?" Raven arched an eyebrow. Starfire held up her hands to demonstrate.

Raven let out a low whistle, "Thank God for alien endurance, huh?"

* * *

The boys walked back into the Tower feeling even worse than when they had left. Cyborg shuffled off to his room immediately, saying he didn't want to be burned in the cross fire. Robin and Beast Boy had both shot him angry looks, but had been ignored.

Plopping themselves down on the couch, the two of them stared at a blank TV screen for some time before Robin finally sighed and spoke.

"I can't take this much longer. I hope Star comes to talk to me soon."

"When you do talk to her, tell her I don't ever want to speak to her again."

"Come on, Beast Boy..." Robin shook his head, "You don't mean that."

"You weren't the one getting used to fill in for... you."

"I feel shitty enough about that already, man. I'm sorry."

"For what?" Beast Boy laughed. It sounded empty, bitter, and so much not like Beast Boy that it made Robin wince, "For being so damn great that all the girls want to get with you and not me? Or are you sorry for-"

Robin cut him off before his pity party could get any worse, "I meant that I _feel_ sorry for you. What Starfire did was totally unacceptable, and I plan on telling her so when we talk."

"Don't bother." Beast Boy shook his head and leaned back, his eyes closed, "I feel... so... betrayed."

"All the more reason I should-"

"What would you think about me leaving the Titans?"

Robin was shocked into silence for a moment, "What?"

"What would you think if I left the Titans? I mean, not that I really want to, but let's face it, you guys need Star more than you need me, and I'm not sure I can stay on a team with someone who... hurt me like that."

"Beast Boy," Robin said, suddenly so serious and fierce that it made the changeling sit up and take notice, "I'm only going to say this once, so listen up. I don't ever want to hear you undervalue yourself _ever_ again. You are a valid, important part of this team, just like all the rest of us. We're friends, regardless of our internal struggles and dramas. Star doesn't hate you, and she would be absolutely devastated if you left." he paused, making sure Beast Boy was listening. Satisfied, he continued, "I wont let anyone quit this team because they feel that another member has hurt their feelings. We'll iron it out. We'll work around it, through it, and all over it. I don't care how long it takes, but no one quits while I'm still here to help my friends work out their differences."

Beast Boy was quiet for a few minutes, then he sighed again, "Alright, Dick. I'm not going any where."

"Good." Robin looked at his friend sideways, "You know, Kori isn't one to just go tossing away things like her virginity lightly."

"How do you know if it was her first time?" Beast Boy waggled his eyebrows.

"She's my best friend, Gar, we talk about everything."

"Oh." Beast Boy sat back and looked mildly miffed, "Is there anything I know about her that you don't?"

"How good she is in bed?"

"Fucking amazing, I can tell you that. How's Raven?"

"You heard us last night. What would you say?"

"She liked to be spanked that much?"

"Couldn't get enough of it."

"Damn, dude. Kinky."

"I think she really wanted to bust out some restraints or something, but I'd left my handcuffs in my room." Robin grinned.

"Wow. Who would have thought that Raven was a freak? In bed I mean..."

"Yeah, well, I'm not complaining." Robin smirked, "So dish. What does it for Kori?"

"Baboons."

Robin stared at him with his mouth hanging open for a moment. He recovered enough to stutter out a reply, "Wha... you... you didn't... aw, that's fucked up dude! How could you do that to-"

"Chill out, man!" Beast Boy laughed, "I was just kidding!"

"Oh." Robin grew red in the face.

"Naw, man, she really likes it when you like, throw her legs up and really just, go to town, you know?"

Robin laughed a little, "Like's it rough huh?"

"Hell yes. She also likes it when-" Beast Boy cut himself off abruptly as the doors to the elevator swooshed open and Star stepped into the room. She had put her uniform on, and stood in the doorway, looking quite small and timid.

"Richard? Would you join me... so that we may talk?"

Robin looked at Beast Boy, who had a small smile on his face. He motioned to the door and nodded, "Go on dude. I'll track down Raven. I think she might want to hear my side of the story."

"Alright. Hey, tell her that I still want to see her tonight."

"Will do. Keep your head on straight man."

"I will." Robin nodded once more, then walked to the elevator and stepped into it with Starfire.

Beast Boy watched as the doors closed, then sighed and pulled out his T-Comp. Flipping it open, he opened a line, "Hey, Raven? You around, girl?"

* * *

Raven pulled a fresh cloak over her shoulders and arched an eyebrow at Beast Boy's voice coming through her communicator. She walked over to her night stand and picked it up, flipping it open as she did, "I'm here, Beast Boy. What do you want?"

_"Um... to talk."_

"About what?" Raven arched an eyebrow at the green changeling over the video link.

_"About last night. I thought you might like to hear my side of what went down."_

Raven sighed and rubbed her eyes, "Why on Earth would I want to listen to you prattle on about how you fucked Starfire every which way last night?"

_"Um... no reason I guess. Just... thought you might want to know what led up to it. Why she did it-"_

"I know why she did it. We had a long chat while you guys were out." she glared at him, "Anything else?"

Beast Boy opened his mouth to say something, closed it, then opened it again. He stuttered out a sentence, _"I was wondering if... maybe you'd like to talk to me... um, maybe offer some guidance about what I should do... about Star."_

"I'm not your shrink, Beast Boy. Go talk to Cyborg."

_"But you're a girl! You'll know what to do better than he will!"_

Raven felt a vein in her head begin to pound, "Beast Boy, look-"  
_"God damn it all, Rae! Can't you just use my name like the rest of the team sometimes?" _she was shocked to hear him so explosively pissed all of a sudden,_ "We're not in battle! We're not working a case right now! This is personal business! Kori, and Dick, and Victor and I all use each other's names! Why can't you just do it _once_!" _

"I'm not listening to this. Good bye, Beast Boy."

_"I swear to God, Raven, if you hang up on me, I'm going to come up there and knock your door down and _make_ you listen to me!"_

Raven did not miss the fact that he was starting to grow fangs, or that his eyes looked decidedly more wolf like than normal. She weighed her options quickly. Even if he did transform into his Man-Beast form, she could easily restrain him with her powers. On the other hand, she'd have to bother Cyborg with fixing her door, and she didn't want to do that to her friend. Of course, that meant she'd have to listen to Beast Boy's emotional drivel for the next hour or so, but on the other hand, would it really hurt to branch out to the rest of the team as Starfire said she never did?

"Fine." Raven sighed and closed her eyes, "Come up to my room and we'll..." she paused, "On second thought, meet me in the gym. We can start cleaning up while we talk."

Beast Boy calmed down considerably, _"Okay. I'll see you there."_

* * *

Starfire stood at the edge of the roof, staring off at the sea. She clutched at her arms, warding off the chill brought by the cool breeze that always followed a rain storm in Jump City. Her red hair blew softly in the wind, and the skin around her bandages was pale and white.

Robin stood a ways back form her, observing. Neither one of them felt ready to start the out pouring of emotion yet, and he was content to simply stare at her back, wondering what she was thinking.

After what seemed like fifteen minutes, Star turned around and faced him, her normal radiant smile replaced by a deep frown, and her eyes cast down to the roof top. Tears trickled down her cheeks, and she sniffed once.

Robin found himself moving forward on instinct, "Oh... hell Kori, come here." He walked right up to her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling his cape up to cover both of them. She sobbed once and buried her face in his chest.

"I am sorry, Richard!" she wailed, "I am sorry for the way I have behaved!"

"It's okay, Kori. You were upset... understandably so. I... Raven and I should have... I don't know... talked to you about this or something. I didn't want you to find out the way you did."

"What you must think of me!" she continued to cry as she pulled away from him and turned away once again, "I have been... most unwise. I have sullied myself, and thrown away my virginity simply because I felt that I needed to be needed... and Garfield... how he must hate me."

"He's really upset." Robin replied softly, "He thought about quitting the Titans because he didn't know how he'd face you."

"Oh no!" she whirled back around, "He cannot leave! Richard, you must-"

"I already convinced him not to go." Robin said firmly, "But that doesn't mean you shouldn't do everything in your power to apologize to him." Sighing, Robin pulled off his mask, "This is just one big fucking mess isn't it?"

"Cursing does not suit you, Richard."

"And explosive violence against your friends doesn't suit you, but you certainly didn't hesitate to tear into Raven."

Star's lower lip quivered again and she started crying, "Why must you say such hurtful things?"

Robin sighed and looked away from her, "I don't know... Kori, I'm really... upset with you right now. But all the same... I love you. You're my best friend, and I don't know how life would go on if you weren't."

"Oh, Richard!" Star threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, "I cannot fathom life without you either... though... I had wished we might be more than simply... friends."

"I could have dated you, you know. I would have but... Raven understands a lot about me that you never will." Star stepped back form him and looked at him with a hurt expression. He hastened to clarify, "It's not because I don't tell you about them, or because I don't trust you with them, but..." he trailed off trying to find the words. Eventually he cast his eyes down and spoke in a low, quavering voice, "I have a lot of dark moments in my past, Kori... my parent's deaths, some of the fights I had with Batman, splitting from Batman, I've been near death more times than I can count... and I have these dark thoughts... like I could just... kill the people that that cause so much suffering and death."

Starfire gaped at him, "Richard... you must not! You cannot take a life, it would be-"

"That's what I love about you Star." Robin cut her off as he looked back up into her eyes, "You don't even try to understand, because you can't fathom the thought process behind such emotions as hate, and murderous intent." she blinked at him and he smiled, "Raven understands those things better than any of us, because she deals with them every day... just like I do."

Slowly, Star nodded her head, "Yes... I see now... Raven understands all of you. I just see... the good you."

"You see the side of me that's good and decent and brave and confident." Robin reached out and took her hand, "Everything _you_ are, Koriand'r of Tamaran." She stared at him with wide eyes, "You're the best parts of me. But sometimes... even I feel weak. In those dark times of despair and hopelessness... Raven understands, and she helps me though them."

Starfire smiled a timid smile, "You... really think that I am brave?"

"I think you're every good thing in the universe rolled up into one infinitely wonderful being. But what I want... what I need... is someone who encompasses both sides of the spectrum... light and dark. Good and evil."

"Yes." Starfire finally nodded with confidence, "I do understand now." she smiled slightly wider and wiped away her tears, "I must talk with Beast Boy soon, I think."

"About what?" Robin arched an eyebrow.

"I must tell him... that he is welcome to continue sharing my bed. I must tell him that it is not that I was using him, but that I simply did not understand my own feelings."

"You think you might love him?"

"I do not know. But I think that I could learn to."

"If it makes you happy."

"I will always love you, Richard. You know that, correct?"

"Yeah. And I'll always love you, Kori, but... well, you know."

"I do, yes." she stepped up to him and leaned into him, "Just once, Richard, and I will never ask it of you again."

Robin stared into her eyes for a long moment, then relented with a smile. He leaned down and gently kissed her lips, holding her with a brief passion. As they kissed, his eyes closed.

There was a sudden swoosh of cool air against his body, and the soft tinkling sound that accompanied Starfire's flight, and the warm feel of her lips against his was gone. When he opened his eyes, the Tamaranian princess was no where to be seen.

* * *

Raven and Beast Boy worked quickly, cleaning up the training room. As they worked, Raven listened and Beast Boy talked. She was actually quite impressed by the mature and forthright way he was presenting his feelings and thoughts.

"... so, I don't really know what to do. I mean, Kori's a great girl, and I'd love to keep seeing her... maybe even take her out and stuff. You know, be able to call her my girlfriend."

Raven nodded as she used her powers to move some of Cyborg's weights across the room.

"But... she used me. She didn't really have any feelings for me... not like I had for her."

"Actually, I'm sure she did." Raven placed the weight back in it's proper place, "She was lying when she said she wouldn't need you to feel wanted any more."

"What?" Beast Boy dropped the dust pan he was using to clean up bits of the lockers.

"When she said that someday Robin would forget about me and go to her and she wouldn't need you any longer. That was a lie." Raven shrugged, "One of the reasons I didn't turn her inside out."

"So... wait, what does that mean?"

"You're stupid, aren't you?"

"Try to put up with me." Beast Boy glared.

Raven sighed and rolled her eyes, "It means that even if Robin did decide to dump me for her," a paused as she muttered under her breath, "Not bloody likely..." then continued at full volume, "She would still need you to make her happy."

"So... wait, you think she might have feelings for me?"

"Kori has feelings for everyone, Garfield. It's part of who she is." Raven's tone softened, "For us, it's hard to find that one person that we can love forever. For her it's that she sees the best qualities in everyone, and loves them for those qualities. The strength of that love is what determines how she reacts to you. She sees Robin as the absolute best thing on Earth, so she wanted to be his lover. She sees you as a very good friend, funny, helpful, outgoing... and she loves you for those traits." Raven paused and looked him in the eye, "She didn't sleep with you to get back at Robin and me, or to use you as a stand in. She slept with you because she loves who you are."

"Wow." Beast Boy stared, "I've never heard you say so much all at once, ever."

"You just delight in fucking up every tender moment we have, don't you?" Raven rolled her eyes and went back to cleaning.

"I can't help it!" Beast Boy picked up his dust pan, "It's just my nature!"

After a few more minutes of cleaning in silence, the changeling spoke again, "Hey, Rae?"

"Yes?" she sighed and glared at him.

He looked back with a slight smile, "Thanks."

Her gaze softened and she nodded with a small smile of her own, "Any time, Gar. Any time."

* * *

Later that night, Cyborg walked into the kitchen to find some food, having not had the chance to eat all day. As he stepped into the dining area, he froze.

Robin and Raven sat next to each other at the booth in the wall, and Starfire and Beast Boy sat across from them. There were several boxes of pizza sitting in front of them, two of which were labeled, 'Cyborg's Meat Supreme! Do not Consume!' in Star's neat scrawl.

Most shocking of all though, was that they were all talking and laughing.

Even Raven.

"Um, what the hell, guys?" he asked stepping into the kitchen, "You were ready to kill each other earlier."

"We talked it out, Cy." Robin pointed to the pizza's, "Star just got back, and we were about to call you. Where have you been all day?"

Cyborg blushed lightly, "Oh, well... in my room. Working on something."

"Really?" Beast Boy arched an eyebrow, "Some new vehicle for us to kick ass with?"

"Naw... it was just a pet project... I didn't like how the prints turned out, so I threw them away."

Raven looked at him funny, and he knew that she knew he was lying. She arched an eyebrow at him, then turned back to her pizza, "Say, Kori... I need to do some shopping tomorrow. You want to come?"

"Yes! Oh Raven, I would love to!"

"You'll like the store we're going to. So will Robin."

Starfire winked, "I bet he will."

"Aw, hell." Robin blushed and rolled his eyes under his mask, "Beast Boy, you didn't give her any ideas did you?"

"Me? No. Well, I might have mentioned something about this place I know that sells whips and four point restraints..."

"I so _do not _want to hear this while I'm eating." Cyborg grabbed his first box of pizza and sat down at the end of the table, "Subject change please!"

"Let's talk about the changing sleeping arrangements." Robin said with a smirk, "I'd like to keep my room for my case studies, if you guys don't mind."

"Ya'll are gonna be the death of me..." Cyborg rolled his human eye and started scarfing down his food.

* * *

The next morning, a white bathrobe wearing Bumble Bee sat down at a computer in the living room of the Titans East Tower. Speedy was back in the kitchen, making pancakes, and Aqualad was flipping channels on the TV.

Bee arched an eye brow as she opened her e-mail and found a message from Cyborg. Opening it, she saw a simple, one liner.

_I'll be making a road trip out that way next month. Want to go for a ride when I get out there?_

Confused, she scanned down the page and found a file attachment in .pdf format called HPE. She clicked on it and took a sip of her coffee as she waited for Acrobat Reader to open.

As soon as the image came up, she spit her coffee out all over the place and stared with slack jawed wonder at the screen, "Fuckin... no way..."

"What's that?" Speedy was suddenly leaning over her shoulder, squinting at the screen and mixing batter at the same time.

Bumble Bee quickly closed the file as her face burned red, "Nothing! It's nothing!"

"From Cyborg, huh?" Speedy looked down at her through his mask and arched an eyebrow, "I didn't see the words 'penis' and 'hydraulic' in that blue print, did I?"

"Not if you like your balls where they are." she growled back at him.

"I'll just get these on the grill then." Speedy smiled wickedly and dashed away before she could grab him and beat him into a bloody mess.

Sitting back in her chair, Bee put a hand to her forehead.

"Oh Lord..." she mumbled as she looked up at the ceiling with a huge grin, "I think I might need a cold shower now..."

Fin

Closing Notes: Heh. I had to throw that in at the end.

Reviewers make me happy! Thank you to everyone who reviewed, and just a few quick notes to a few great reviews!

Stolen Valkyrie - It wouldn't be one of my stories without your reviews. :) As always (and I mean that) you provide expert guidence and warm fuzzy feelings of goodness. I live to meet your standards.

azar - So... I'm confused. If you hate Starfire so much, why are you reading Cantata? I mean, you said you wont read anything except Rae/Rob... and um... Cantata is Star/Rob. Raven's dating Speedy in that one.  
Well, whatever! So long as you read and enjoy, that's what I'm here for! Maybe I'll help you to branch out and get over your rather extream hatred of Starfire. :)

ravene - Quote "hahaha! starfire got SERVED!"  
Yeah, didn't she:) I just love to mess with that girl.

That's all folks! Hope you liked this one!


End file.
